There are a number of reasons that your plumbing system’s sewer line is buried beneath your property. For starters, your yard and home are more visually appealing this way. It’s also for functionality as well as safety and hygiene.
Unfortunately, this does mean that your sewer line is out of sight—so hard to spot problems with it when those problems occur. One of the problems that sewer lines are susceptible to is tree root infiltration.
Tree roots, since they’re constantly searching for a water source, actually are a fairly common find inside damaged sewer lines. And not only do they lead to leaks in the line, but they cause clogs and backups too. Even the smallest leak that exists in the sewer line can attract them too.
Why Tree Roots Are So Damaging
Your sewer line might seem pretty hard and sturdy, maybe even impenetrable. For the most part, they are pretty sturdy. However, if your sewer line is older or even just made form less durable material, then it’ll be susceptible to persistent roots. Usually, the piping most impacted by the roots is Clay tile or Orangeburg. However, even concrete or PVC can be impacted.
Once tree roots have infiltrated the sewer line and damaged them, this creates two additional problems. First, the affected section of the pipe enables sewage to leak out onto your property. You’ll likely notice spongy grass, standing water, and perhaps even an unpleasant odor coming from the yard. Second, the tree roots can continue to grow and expand up into the pipes as they absorb water, causing a partial or complete blockage of the sewer line.
How to Prevent Damage from Tree Roots
Sometimes the best way to fix a problem is to prevent it from happening to begin with. Our professional plumbers can help you determine where exactly on your property your sewer line is, so that you can plant trees an appropriate distance away. There are also some trees that are more likely to put out roots that can actually damage the sewer line than others.
If you are concerned about the condition of your sewer line, or that the age of your sewer line will make it more susceptible to damage, our team can do what’s called a video pipe inspection. This helps us unobtrusively investigate your plumbing system and see if it is, in fact, prone to damage or deterioration, and take the proper steps from there, such as replacing the piping with more durable and root-resistant material.
“What If I Already Have Tree Roots in My Plumbing System?”
In addition to video pipe inspection services, we have a variety of other professional-grade tools we use to help resolve all sorts of plumbing problems for you, including tree root infiltration. What we will most likely do is use augers to break up the tree roots, and scour-jet (a.k.a hydro-jet) equipment to blast the remaining root blockage apart and wash it away.
For expert plumbing service, installations, or maintenance contact Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Our knowledgeable plumbers serve the North Shore and Northwest Chicago suburbs. Rely on Reliance for quality Des Plaines, IL plumbing!