Mature trees are a major selling point when it comes to purchasing a home. The shade provided by trees helps a home remain shady and cool during the hot summer months, and mature trees have branches strong enough to hold rope swings and tree houses. Be careful, though, because root systems from mature trees can reach out to twice the diameter of a tree’s crown. This can lead to a broken pipe or sewer line.
Pipes draining water and waste from your home are particularly enticing to trees because they are bringing a constant supply of fresh water and fertilizer. The smallest crack in the pipe can cause tree roots to reroute themselves to your pipes, making plumbing repair necessary to save both your pipes and your tree.
How to Remove Roots From Your Sewer Line
First of all, if you suspect that you have tree roots invading your sewer line, do not panic. The tree does not have to be cut down or damaged. Depending on what the homeowner wants, there are alternatives to cutting back or poisoning the roots of the tree. Pipes can be dug up and relined around the tree roots.
A second option is to poison the roots. Plumbing services will be able to provide you with safe poisons that can be flushed down the toilet, where they will come in contact with the root system. These chemicals are known to dry out the roots in and near the pipes but not travel up the trunk of the tree to kill it. If the tree is important to you and you go this route, consult an arborist to be sure that the tree will survive poisoning the roots.
Of course, you can always have the tree roots dug up and removed. Damaging the roots can harm or kill the tree, so again, use an arborist if you want to be careful to save the tree. Once the offending roots have been removed, a plumbing repair can fix the pipe that was damaged by the tree. With today’s technology, minimal digging and damage is needed to make these repairs. Miles plumbing does have a concrete break repair available if these pipes are under a driveway or sidewalk.
How to Prevent Tree Roots From Damaging Your Sewer Line
One way to prevent tree roots from damaging your sewer line is to install a protective barrier between the roots and the pipes. Many different materials, from concrete to metals, can block or redirect the roots away from the underground pipe systems. This should prevent the need to call out plumbing services and is the most effective way to prevent a broken pipe.
Another prevention strategy is to schedule an annual sewer line inspection. Plumbing services can use cameras to inspect the lines and catch any type of damage early before the roots and the pipes get too friendly with one another.
The surest way to prevent sewer line damage from trees is to plan well. If you’re looking to plant new trees or shrubs, take the time to locate your sewer line and plan the location of the plants accordingly. After planting, ensure that the trees get adequate water and nutrients so they do not go searching for them – that is how they find the pipes in the first place. Taking the time to know where the sewer lines are and planting around them carefully can save money and time.
Call Miles Plumbing
If you are experiencing any signs of needing plumbing services for your sewer line, like gurgling toilets or unpleasant smells, please do not hesitate to give Miles Plumbing a call. We can quickly dispatch a professional to help ease your mind and easily handle any plumbing repairs you may need. You can contact us twenty-four hours a day at (250)-361-4488 or fill out our convenient contact form.
