Most homeowners will agree that trees off many benefits from increased property value to producing oxygen. But they can also quickly become your sewer lines nemesis. Tree roots are not the inanimate objects that many believe them to be. Research has found that they can sense moisture and grow in its direction. That means it is not a coincidence that tree roots are invading sewer lines across the country.
How They Do Their Damage
Older sewer lines are made from many short sticks of pipe fitted together with couplers or bell fittings. But what is essential to know is that these connections are often not solvent welded together like the pipes used in your sprinkler system. So a tiny amount of water can leak at the joints and attract tree roots. Even the slightest crack or space between the pipe pieces is enough for a root to grow into the pipe and begin to create a blockage.
Once inside the sewer line, tree roots thrive. They have found a mecca in the endless supply of water and natural fertilizer from human waste. Soon the roots are thriving and will expand to the point of cracking the line in multiple places. Now your sewer line is susceptible to more root invasions and loose soil washing in to create more issues as the sewage seeps into your yard.
Rock Salt- A Solution Or An Old Wives Tale?
You might have read or heard that rock salt is a sure way to eliminate tree roots. And while that is correct, it could create a series of other issues as well. Flushing buckets of rock salt into your sewer line is a great way to make an even bigger issue than the roots. The salt will clump together and melt little by little as more water flows through the pipe. But in the absence of water, it will recrystallize to form a significant blockage.
And before you think you solved the dilemma by making a rock salt solution, that is not going to work either. The solution will flow right past the tree roots without them absorbing enough salt to do any damage.
Other \”Easy\” Fixes
There are many products on the market that claim to kill roots. The most common is a foam. But this is a slow and arduous process that might or might not yield results in a few months. And all the while, you will be experiencing everything from slow clearing drains to toilets that do not flush properly.
Professional Solutions
The first step in correcting any sewer line issue is determining what you are facing. And the only way to know that information is with a sewer line camera inspection performed by a licensed plumber. Once the camera is deployed inside the pipe, a trained pro can recognize damage to the pipe walls, blockages, tree root invasions, and bellied sections of the line.
If the tree root invasion is minimal, a professional drain cleaning with a high-pressure water jet will blast away the tree roots and any other debris and residue inside the pipe. Then a second inspection will reveal any damage to the line that must be repaired. In most cases, trenchless repair solutions are the best choice. This process inserts a liner into the pipe\’s damaged section without the need to dig up a massive section of your yard.
To learn more about legitimate solutions for sewer lane damage from tree root invasions, call (912) 236-3333. The Thompson and Thompson Plumber pros will use technology to provide you with affordable and effective solutions.
