Roots in My Plumbing – What Do I Do?

Why do I have roots in my plumbing? How do I fix this situation?

Most homeowners can be alarmed by the presence of roots in residential sewer lines. It’s an underrated blockage problem that doesn’t get discussed enough. Due to this, roots find a way to infiltrate your drainage system, obstructing the flow of wastewater and causing sewage overflow. Consequently leading to numerous structural problems and water damage in the long run.

Therefore, it’s important to know how to detect roots in your plumbing and how to remove them.

Here’s what you need to know:

Signs of Roots in Your Plumbing

Roots are drawn towards pipelines because of the higher nutrients, oxygen, and water present inside your sewer lines. It tends to happen when they don’t receive sufficient sustenance from their surroundings. These invasive roots can create problems for your drainage system.

When that happens, you will know for sure that there are roots in your plumbing.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

Sinkholes

You might observe sinkholes around the property, especially near the target site. It happens over time as water starts to seep out of damaged sewer lines. High levels of accumulated moisture cause the soil around it to sink.

Slow Drainage

Tree root obstructions create a clog in the drainage system. Due to this, water in sinks, tubs, and waste flushed down toilets will drain slowly. You might even hear a gurgling sound when it happens.

Without intervention, the tree roots can create permanent blockage in your pipelines. There might be no space for water flowing out of the house, leading to sewage overflow.

Bad Smell

A distinctive pungent odor follows tree root blockage. The rotten smell is a mixture of damp roots and sewage.  Severe damage can cause the foul smell to spread and pollute the air.

Unusual Tree Growth

The prolonged presence of tree roots in your plumbing has a significant effect on the plants. The trees involved will grow quickly and appear healthier than the remaining foliage on your premises. The greener look is a tell-tale sign that these trees receive more nutrients and moisture than the others. It can only mean that they’ve found a different source of sustenance, your pipes!

If you’re not careful, minor tree root obstruction can cause irreversible consequences for your property. Starting from broken pipes, clogs, sewage overflow to major water damage. Calling a home restoration expert for help can eliminate potential challenges.

Roots in My Plumbing: How Do We Help?

IICRC-certified consultants from 911 Restoration of Seattle can inspect your property and develop an effective plan to resolve the issue without damaging the trees.  We will do our best to maintain the structural integrity of your property and reverse damages.

Inspecting the Area

The process starts with a thorough inspection of your property. We start by looking at the plumbing problems you’ve been facing. Our trained home restoration experts use their expertise to determine if the drainage issue stems from roots in your plumbing. Or if something else is amiss.

We use a pipe inspection camera to detect the primary source of the tree root. The tiny probe goes inside the pipeline, giving technicians a clear picture of the sewage situation.

After this, our team will create a personalized pipe damage restoration plan to save your property from further destruction.

Tree Root Removal from Pipelines

Home restoration experts use a combination of tools and practices to resolve the root issue. We use a high-powered sewer snake machine (or sewer auger) with sharp blades to cut out the roots from the system. The broken roots and debris are later flushed out of the system to prevent minor blockages.

Alternatively, we can use industry-grade hydro jetting methods for effective root removal from pipes. It utilizes extremely high water pressure to break down root growth. Then flush the debris out of the pipeline in one go.

Bonus: If you don’t mind harming your trees and foliage, we can use some rock salt, copper sulfate, or herbicide to inhibit tree growth and eradicate the root.

Repairing / Replacing Pipelines

Pipelines and drains are assessed for damage. We fix the ones that have sustained minor damage from the situation. The remaining non-salvageable pipes get replaced by newer, sturdier pipelines.  We install these new lines at a safe distance from your trees.

Besides this, you can prevent roots in your plumbing by planting sewer-safe trees with small, non-invasive roots. Standard options include cypress, amur maple, serviceberry, flowering dogwood, fringe tree, etc.

Apart from this, we provide water damage restoration services to handle related restoration problems. For instance, you might have flooded rooms, sewage backup overflow, moldy pipes, etc.

Parting Words

In the end, roots in your plumbing are a hidden threat. They can wreak havoc on your property without intervention. You can prevent costly maintenance issues and severe water damage by calling home restoration experts for help. With our expertise and training, we can reverse damages and reduce potential problems in record time.

Found roots in your plumbing? Call 911 Restoration of Seattle or drop a message online to schedule a free home inspection.