Are you in need of a rooter service to come and rid your home of trees growing into your garage, yard or driveway? Or maybe you have clogged toilets or drain cleaning issues. Finding a clogged drain service company isn’t difficult but if it turns out to be a problem in the sewers, that might be a little bigger of a job. Sometimes tree roots can go through the pipes and break them which would require a rooter service as well as sewer line repair. Here’s what to do in order to prevent roots from growing into your sewer lines.
It’s only natural that roots from trees and shrubs grow toward sewer lines. The pipes are a bountiful source of the water, nutrients, and oxygen that roots crave. And when a root finds a leak, it will quickly grow into the pipe and inhibit the flow of waste, causing blockages, broken pipes and other serious headaches for homeowners. Sewage leaks are unsanitary and lead to health problems, and repairing the damage caused by the roots can cost thousands of dollars. Avoid costly repair bills by taking a few precautionary measures when planting trees and maintaining pipes.
- Figure Out Where Your Sewer Lines Are
The first thing you need to do is call the local public works department. Alternatively you could call the national 811 number in order to ask them where the underground utilities are in your area. Knowing where the cables lines and pipes are is necessary before you do any kind of planting, not just sewer repairs by the rooter service. - Make a Barrier Between the Trees and Pipes
There are various kinds of barriers that you can buy to stop roots from growing into the sewer lines. There are slow release chemicals. These are things like chemical sulfate and potassium hydroxide. These are often used in residential areas. Put them near the sewer line to stop the roots from growing in that specific area. If you get metal or wood barriers then you’ll need to bury them between six and 12 inches below the pipe itself. Run it vertically alone the pipe to stop roots from growing there to. - Pick Trees that are Safe Around Sewers
There are actually ‘sewer safe’ trees and bushes and plants that you can buy in order to avoid the problem all together. You need to do research before you determine how you are going to plan out a landscape around your property. Even though these shrubs are sewer safe, you should still be careful of how many you plant near where the lines are. Limit the amount that are going to go there when you map it out. The bigger trees should be planted far enough away so that the roots do not reach all the way to the sewer lines. Slow growing trees with small roots are another idea for near pipes. - Recognize Any Warning Signs
It’s pretty easy to clear a regular drain clog. Clogged drains happen all the time. However, you shouldn’t have the same drain clogging up frequently. If that’s happening, it may mean that there is something bigger going on that you need to address. When sewer lines become damaged by roots, this can result in clogged drains or drains that overflow or have slow flow problems. Another symptom of damaged sewers is if you hear a gurgling noise coming from your toilet. - Maintain and Regularly Inspect
It’s a good idea to call a plumber if you have any kind of drain issue. Don’t try and fix things yourself because you might just make them worse. A plumber can run inspections and find out if the drain gurgling or being difficult to clear is a sign of a bigger problem or not. It’s also a good opportunity for the plumber to give the entire system a once over. If you want to avoid some pretty major sewer problems, make sure that you clean the lines regularly and carefully check the integrity of the pipe structure. Keep the lines clear and maintain them often in order to avoid roots growing into the pipes. If you can stop them before they get in, you’ll save yourself a world of problems when the rooter service has to come around.
