As a homeowner, there are many different problems your home may experience over time. One that is particularly common in aging homes is tree root intrusion into the sewer line. Below, we’ll address how to know if you have it and what you can do about it to protect the integrity of your home’s wastewater disposal system.
What Is Tree Root Intrusion?
Tree root intrusion occurs when roots start to infiltrate the inside of your piping. Your sewer line can develop hairline fractures due to seasonal ground shifting, age-related stress, and other similar factors. All it takes is a small crack in your line to allow raw sewage to seep into the surrounding soil.
This natural fertilizer attracts trees, causing them to spread roots to the piping. As more and more roots force their way into the pipe, the crack expands. This can allow more sewage to seep out, leading to an even bigger attractant for more roots to infiltrate. As the roots thicken into a mat, they can obstruct the flow of wastewater through your sewer line. This can lead to a backup in your home’s sewer and drain lines.
Early Warning Signs of Tree Root Intrusion
As a homeowner, you don’t want to find yourself dealing with tree roots intruding into your home’s sewer line. Being on the lookout for the key warning signs that we’ll discuss below can allow you to catch the issue as early as possible. The sooner you detect the issue, the less damage it will likely cause.
Slow Draining
One of the most obvious signs of tree root intrusion is slow drainage of your sewer system. When there is just slow drainage at one fixture, it’s likely a problem at that particular location. However, if the issue is with all your toilets, sinks, and showers, it’s a key indicator of a sewer line blockage.
Toilet Gurgling
One sound that will definitely alert your senses is a gurgling noise coming from your toilet when it’s not in use. This gurgling will happen when you use your washing machine or flush another toilet in your home. The gurgling sound is the result of excess air trapped inside your sewer line. Instead of traveling with the wastewater into your city’s sewer system, it gets stuck in the clog. Then, it must backtrack to the closest plumbing fixture where it can escape into the surrounding air.
Wet or Green Lawn Patches
When too much wastewater seeps out of your piping due to tree root intrusion, it can fertilize the surrounding lawn. When this happens, it will make the grass over your sewer line much greener and more luscious than the surrounding lawn. In some cases, you may notice lingering groundwater on the surface of your lawn over your sewer line.
Persistent Sewage Odor
One rather unpleasant sign of tree root intrusion in your main sewer line is a persistent sewage odor. As the raw sewage seeps out, it will radiate a pungent scent that will be prominent outside your home. You may even get a whiff of this sewage smell near the drains in your home.
Sewer Line Backups
If your sewer line is full of wastewater, it can back up into your sinks, showers, and other plumbing fixtures. Tree roots causing a clog in your line can result in wastewater filling up inside your sewer line and back through all your drain lines to all your fixtures. In cases of heavy rainfall, you may notice a backup occur. This can happen when tree roots open up your sewer line so much that groundwater can easily infiltrate it.
Getting a Professional Evaluation
If you suspect that you have tree root intrusion in your sewer line, it’s best to call us promptly for professional assistance. You never want to continue using your plumbing line as doing so could lead to an expensive and unsanitary backup. Our professionals have state-of-the-art equipment that they can use to detect if tree roots are present in your line.
Video Camera Inspection
We’ll start by doing a video camera inspection of your main sewer line. This is where we insert a flexible camera down your sewer line from your clean-out access. Our team will do a thorough evaluation of your entire line to see where tree roots are intruding and how much damage has been done to your piping.
Hydro Jetting
One of the most effective ways to bust up tree roots in your main sewer line is with hydro jetting. This is where we use a high-pressure jetting system that gets directly pointed at the tree roots. It will cause the roots to burst, and the flowing water will force the broken roots further down your sewer line to the city’s main sewer line. This method is very effective at removing all the roots inside your sewer line, alongside any other debris buildup on the pipe’s walls.
Trenchless Pipe Relining
While hydro jetting service is great for getting rid of tree roots, it won’t solve the problem of roots intruding your line. It’s simply a short-term fix. If nothing else is done to fix your sewer line, more tree roots will simply grow in their place. This can lead to an unhealthy cycle of routine hydro jetting.
A more effective long-term solution is to opt for trenchless pipe relining. This service can be performed on sewer lines as long as they’re not collapsed. With this repair option, we’ll insert a specialized resin-saturated liner down the inside of our sewer line. Once in place, we’ll cure the resin to create an airtight seal. This will essentially create a new pipe inside your existing, cracked one.
Wastewater can effectively flow through the resin liner without leaking out as there are no cracks in the new liner. Trenchless pipe relining can extend the longevity of your existing piping by 25 to 50 years, depending on numerous factors.
Tips on Preventing Future Tree Root Intrusion
There’s no doubt that dealing with tree root intrusion in your home’s sewer line can be a real pain. Fortunately, there are some helpful tips you can implement moving forward to greatly reduce your risk of experiencing future tree root intrusion. First and foremost, always be mindful of where you’re planting trees and shrubbery. Water-seeking trees like willows, maples, and poplars should be planted well away from your lateral sewer line.
Instead, opt for smaller and less invasive species when planting anything near your line. There are root barriers that landscape professionals can install to prevent roots from intruding into the area where your sewer line runs. If you have an outdated sewer line, it’s best to think about upgrading it. Terra cotta, old clay, and cast-iron pipes are more susceptible to tree root issues. Opt to upgrade to PVC as it has better joints.
Expert Hydro Jetting Service
Pacific Plumbing & Rooter Inc offers expert hydro jetting service in the Eugene, OR area. We can also assist with all your drain cleaning, drain repair, pipe relining, trenchless sewer repair, and camera inspection services. Simply contact our office today to book your next service appointment with one of our knowledgeable plumbing professionals.
