Rooting Out Problems in Your Sewer System

Those majestic trees you have decorating your landscape might look beautiful, but did you know that they could be a threat to your home’s plumbing system?

Water that leaves your house after being used to flush a toilet or wash your hands needs to reach the city’s sewer main, so it is channeled through an underground network of pipes. When these pipes get blocked by tree roots, they can stop working as they should, and the water will start to flow very slowly as it tries to make its way through the obstruction. If more water is sent down the drain, it can exceed the flow’s capacity and back up into your home.

Let’s take a more detailed look at how this happens and how it can be resolved.

How Do Trees Block The Water Lines?

Threes use large, sturdy roots for stabilization, which ramify into smaller roots which can extend several feet as they search for water.  The ends of these roots can be extremely thin and can easily penetrate a pipe when they find a crack or a joint opening.

Older pipes and pipes made from fragile materials such as clay can crack after many years of usage and will start to leak. Even better for the roots if these leaks are from a sewer line since it is not only an excellent source of water but also packed with nutrients.

Once the roots are inside the pipe, they will continue to grow and form a net that will catch any debris that passes by. This combination of debris and roots will eventually clog up the pipe.

How Do I Know If I Have Roots In My Pipes?

The first warning signs you should be aware of are slow flowing drains. If you see that water tends to stand in your shower instead of flowing down the drain or if your toilets are not flushing as they used to, you need to get your sewer lines checked out.

Once the pipes are so clogged up that water cannot pass through, it will back into your home, overflowing in toilets and flooding your basement.  When this happens, it can not only cause a lot of damage but also be dangerous to your health.

Rooting Out Problems In Your Sewer System

If you suspect that there are tree roots in your sewer system, you need to get it checked out as soon as possible. There are many ways to solve this problem but it all depends on the location and severity of the root infestation. That’s why you need to hire an expert, and Speedy Rooter Plumbing knows all about cleaning out roots.

Some roots can be removed by a special auger that has blades at the end which chop up the roots. Other can be blasted away by using a nozzle that delivers a high-pressure water stream which blasts away the obstruction.

Once the roots have been removed, it is important to inspect the pipes not only to make sure they are completely unobstructed but to see if the roots caused any structural damage that needs to be repaired.

Speedy Rooter Plumbing can provide all these services. Their staff is highly trained, has access to all the latest plumbing technology, and is ready you make your sewer system work as it should. Schedule an appointment today and rest assured that your problems will be resolved by a team of plumbing professionals in the most timely and efficient manner possible.