If you own an older home – one built before 1970 – chances are pretty good that your home has a clay sewer pipe. (New homes are constructed with PVC piping, which is impervious to tree roots.) Clay was a common pipe material added to homes after World War II, but it’s vulnerable to tree root damage, among other things. Sewer line clogs can happen for many reasons, but if your main drain comes within 30 feet of a tree, you probably won’t be able to avoid tree roots in your sewer lines.
Tree roots can grow year-round
When you look at a tree, it’s hard to visualize what’s happening underground. Generally, tree roots extend out two to four times as far as tree branches do, and while the tree roots don’t grow as deep as the tree grows tall, the roots move out in all directions. Tree roots don’t grow toward anything in particular. In other words, they don’t “seek” water, but they will use it wherever they find it – even if they find it in your sewer pipe. And although a tree appears to be dormant in the winter, tree roots are not. They continue grow even in the winter months!
So what happens when tree roots break into your sewer pipe? Initially, maybe not much, but it won’t take long before waste from your house gets stuck on the roots, and a clog forms. A broken sewer pipe will also allow wastewater to seep into the ground, rather than into the sewer pipe or septic tank. This can cause the dirt surrounding the pipe to wash away, damaging the pipe further and potentially putting driveways and other structures at risk.
Getting rid of tree roots in the sewer pipe isn’t a DIY project for most people. While you can find tree-root killers in the hardware store, this method isn’t really recommended. Yes, it kills the root, but the chemicals can also damage your sewer pipe, the surrounding ground, and they don’t remove the root, which is … well, the root of the problem.
Having your sewer pipe inspected and professionally cleared is one good way to eliminate clogs, identify broken sewer pipes and actually reduce the cost of repairing your sewer connection. At Clear Drain Cleaning, we use the latest technologies to visually inspect your sewer connection from end-to-end. We know the exact condition of your sewer line before we clear your line, and can tell you precisely where your problem spots are. This helps us determine the best way to open your sewer line. Our inspections can also help minimize the amount of digging that needs to be done when line replacement is needed. We can also show you that your line is free and clear before we leave your home or business.
When you have water backing up into your home, your main concern is getting your sewer line open. Count on Clear Drain Cleaning to find the source of the problem and get your sewer line cleared fast! Give us a call at (330) 343-7146. We serve Tuscarawas, Ashland, Carroll, Coshocton, Holmes, Stark and Wayne counties.
