One of the most common causes of clogged or damaged sewer lines is the infiltration of surrounding tree roots into the sewer pipes. Given enough time to spread and grow, this can cause serious long-term problems for your home's plumbing and require thousands of dollars in repairs. Rather than waiting until the problem presents itself in full (and trust us, you'll know), taking some preventative measures now can help avoid a costly and messy repair.
Locate Your Sewer Line
Finding the sewer line is the first step, but even if your city's utility lines say where your line is, they sometimes don't have the most reliable or accurate information. Better to hire a leak detection agency to utilize their subterranean listening equipment to locate exactly where the sewer line is laid before digging a hole for repairs.
Trim the Right Trees
If you've only got one tree in your yard, there's a good chance that's the main culprit. But yards with two or more trees will require an extra bit of care while performing work below ground. Some species of trees have "sewer-friendly" roots or shallow roots that don't tend to interfere with sewer lines. While the list is pretty extensive, a good rule of thumb is that the larger and older the tree is, the better the chance of deep, extensive root growth.
Plan Your Attack
Homeowners have two DIY options when it comes to combating root growth: root killers and root barriers. Root killers are chemical agents that are flushed down your toilet, killing roots along the way. Root barriers are less invasive and harmful to the ground, but they can prevent water from flowing properly. Made from a variety of materials, each root barrier has its strengths and weaknesses, but we'd recommend a root barrier with a permeable filter to ensure water and smaller roots can pass through uninhibited.
Contact a Professional
Pioneer Plumbing and Heating has the experience and cutting-edge equipment needed to protect and reinforce your sewer lines without the need for extensive excavation of your yard. With our trenchless sewer repair techniques, we can ensure your project is completed quickly and successfully with minimal interruption to your plumbing or the integrity of your yard. Contact us today to schedule a sewer repair consultation!
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