How to Recognize and Get Rid of Tree Roots in Your Sewer
Roots in your sewer pipe can create huge issues within your plumbing system. Capable of breaking up and destroying your pipes, it’s a job that may be difficult to address and repair.
How Roots Get In
There are several risks associated with roots taking hold of your plumbing system.
First, you will need to spend a great deal of money to fix it. Secondly, if the damage is under the house, you may have to tear up the floors in order to get to it. Older homes are especially notorious for having root problems.
Tree roots are capable of getting into any crack available and traveling hundreds of feet underground to reach nourishment. They get into your draining system because they are constantly in search of water and nutrients, which are abundant in a sewer line. They initially get into your pipes as small roots, but as they get more nutrients in your sewer, they continue to grow. Eventually, you find these huge root systems thriving in your sewer system, with no sign of stopping.
Old clay pipes in older homes are noted for breaking due to tree root systems, while metal pipes are more difficult to break. If not removed properly, roots will keep growing into a pipe, and tend to grow back thicker and stronger. When they do this, they damage the pipe further, until one day the pipe may collapse.
How We Can Fix It
Unfortunately, you don’t have too many choices for getting rid of roots in your sewer. You should try to find a way that does not pose any potential threats to the tree itself. One way of doing this is to poison the surrounding soil near the problem. Another solution is a foaming type root killer that fills your pipes and leaves a film which continues to kill roots as time goes on. This remedy is only needed about one time a year, which is an improvement to others which may need to be done every three months.
Another way of getting rid of roots is by using copper sulfate in the soil around the sewer lines. If using copper sulfate, it may be difficult for you to find where the problem actually lies in your sewer, which is where a trained professional should be consulted. Once found, a hole will need to be drilled to the source, which means consulting gas and electric companies. The copper sulfate works by being dissolved in hot water, and then it starts to run into the soil around the ground. The roots will turn away from the copper sulfate, causing the ones in the sewer to die. Again, this is a job for a professional, as it is not a one-time solution. It may take several months for this solution to show results.
Pipelining is the Best Way to Prevent Roots
Perhaps the best way to get rid of roots is to “line” your sewer pipe with our pipelining technology. We can install a brand new epoxy liner in your sewer pipe with little or no digging that will prevent roots from ever coming back. This is a permanent solution and considering the alternative of digging up your sewer pipe, is the best choice to prevent you drain pipes from future root intrusion. The other benefit to this option is that the entire process takes a few hours as compared to days or weeks with the tradition dig and replace method. Your house, lawn, driveway and sidewalk are left undisturbed and you won’t we able to tell anyone was there.
