While trees in your backyard provide shade and privacy, their roots wreak havoc on the sewer pipes buried beneath them. Here at Reid & Pederson, our technicians find a LOT of tree roots in sewer lines. In fact, tree roots are the number one cause of sewer backups that we see. Read on to learn about how tree roots enter your sewer and the steps you can take to minimize the issue.
How Do Tree Roots Get in Sewer Lines?
The number one thing tree roots need to grow is water. Depending on the size of the tree, its roots can extend pretty far into the ground in their quest for water, reaching all the way down to your sewer line. What better place to search for water than sewer pipes? But how exactly do tree roots find a way into these pipes?
No matter what material your sewer pipes are made of, over time they will eventually begin to wear out. So when cracks or leaks appear in your pipes, the roots will not be far behind. Seeking out the nutrients the sewer pipes provide, tree roots grow uncontrollably in the pipes, causing a blockage, a backup in your home and a possibly expensive repair.
How to Remove & Prevent Tree Roots in Sewer Lines
There are some things you can do to minimize the pitfalls of tree roots in your sewer line. These are all good steps to follow whether you’re proactively checking things out or if you’ve already begun experiencing sewer problems:
Determine How Close Trees Are to Your Sewer Line
To do this, you will need to first locate your sewer line. Operators in Illinois only locate the lines they own and maintain, not private, consumer-owned lines such as water and sewer lines from the meter to the house, electric lines or gas lines. So give a quick call to us here at Reid & Pederson and we’ll get a technician to your home asap to locate your sewer for you. Once you know the location of your sewer line, check to see if any trees are near the located marks.
Trees Near Your Sewer Line?
Opt for a sewer line inspection in Crete. A sewer line inspection can quickly show you where problems like tree roots or breaks are in your line. Giving you a clear picture, a televising gives you an idea of whether or not tree roots are about to uproot your life!
Remove and Repair
Give Reid & Pederson a call and we’ll quickly send out a technician to rod your sewer line and free it of tree roots. Remember, if there are cracks in your pipes, the roots will grow back. So proper annual maintenance and calling a professional for “sewer repair near me” are both excellent ideas.
Routine Maintenance
As already mentioned, annual preventative sewer maintenance is an easy way to keep roots at bay. And if you’re looking to plant new trees in your yard, make sure you plant them at least ten feet away from your sewer line. Plant “sewer safe” trees such as cypress, flowering dogwood, fringetrees or paperbark maples that are slow-growing. Trees that are fast-growing that you want to make sure are not planted near your sewer line include silver maple, sweetgum, cottonwood, aspen and sycamore, just to name a few.
Help from the Sewer Line Pros!
Whatever your sewer problem, Reid & Pederson is here to help. From tree roots to blockages to other drain clogs, we are here 24/7 to assist you. Our experts are standing by ready to tackle your sewer and drain problems; give us a call today!
South Suburbs
NW Indiana
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