Of the many things that can cause damage to your property’s sewer system, invasive tree roots are among the worst. This is because tree roots can break through the pipes, resulting in sewage flooding and preventing you from using your home’s plumbing system until the damage can be repaired.
Our best plumbers in Rancho Cucamonga have extensive experience and will be able to minimize the damage and perform the necessary repairs efficiently so that you can get back to normal life as quickly as we can. We understand that this is an incredibly stressful process and will do everything we can to make things as easy and stress-free as possible for you.
We will explain here what the warning signs to watch out for are if tree roots have gotten into your sewer system, as well as what to do when damage occurs and how to prevent future problems with tree roots.
Contents
Common Warning Signs
In order to mitigate the damage, it is best to call your plumber for sewer repair as soon as you notice something is wrong. But it can be difficult to know what exactly the problem is, which is why it is a good idea to know what you need to look out for.
Here are the 4 most common signs that tree roots have gotten into your sewer system:
- Sinkholes: if you are not used to seeing sinkholes on or around your property, this could signal that something is very wrong with your home’s plumbing system. When you first notice a sinkhole forming in your lawn, it is essential that you call a plumber right away who can properly evaluate the problem. Sinkholes can indicate fundamental damage to your foundation, which is why calling an emergency plumber is so important.
- Lingering Bad Odour: when tree roots get into your sewer system, it can cause waste to leak into your property or yard. This leads to a strong unpleasant smell that just won’t go away. While this can also be caused by a serious blockage, it is important to have a professional plumber identify the cause before things get worse.
- Blocked Pipes: have you noticed that your toilet is not flushing properly anymore? This could be because something is causing a serious clog in your pipes or even that your pipes have become collapsed.
Tree roots are a very common cause of pipe obstruction and can lead to the most extensive damage. Do NOT let yourself hope that it is just food or hair blocking the pipes, it could be something much more severe like tree roots that needs to be repaired straight away.
- Drains Aren’t Working Properly: slow-moving drains are an early warning sign that tree roots may be obstructing your sewer system. If you notice that your sink or shower drains won’t drain as quickly as normal, you should contact your plumber so that they can discover the cause and set things right.
If you are dealing with any of these problems, it is best to contact our Fontana or Rancho Cucamonga plumbing team. One of our plumbers will come to your property to evaluate the situation. Keep reading to find out how plumbers identify tree root damage and fix it.
How to Fix the Problem
Once you have reached out to a plumber for help, there are a number of things that they will do to identify the problem and begin repairs on your sewer system.
Identifying the Problem: Sewer Camera Inspection
This is a common and reliable way to inspect the plumbing problem you are dealing with. Bobby Blue Plumbers use a small camera that is attached to a fiber optic cable, which is then moved throughout the pipe to discover the location and cause of the blockage. Once these things are identified, our team can get down to work fixing the issue.
Sewer Repair Methods
- Pipe Bursting: This is a form of trenchless sewer repair, which means it is overall less invasive than other methods. Pipe bursting is done by digging two holes on the ends of the sewage line.
By using the damaged piping for direction, our plumbers will use a hydraulic pipe-bursting system to cut through the damaged pipes while at the same time installing the new pipes in its place. While this sounds like a complicated process, it does not disturb the earth as much as other methods, making it much less disruptive.
- Pipe Relining: If the pipe has been badly damaged, but not completely crushed, pipe relining is also an option. This involves installing an outer lining to the pipe, which makes it much more difficult for the tree roots to break through. This method can be used in conjunction with hydro jetting which will remove the roots that have already gotten into the pipes.
It is definitely not recommended that you pour herbicides or chemicals down the drain. While this might help break down the tree roots, it can also be harmful to the local environment and water source. You may also expose yourself and your family or pets to dangerous or potent chemicals that should not be inhaled in enclosed spaces.
Prevent Tree Root Damage
There are a number of steps you can take to prevent tree roots from damaging your sewer system in the future.
Try these two easy ways to keep trees away from your pipes!
Choose Trees Carefully: if you are an avid gardener and are concerned that this means you won’t be able to plant any trees in your garden – don’t worry. There are plenty of trees that are suitable because they either have very shallow roots or their roots grow only in small areas. As long as you plant these trees at a distance from your sewer system, there should not be any more problems.
Build a Barrier: you might also want to build a basic barrier around your pipes to protect them from tree roots. Typically, people will use thick planks of wood or plastic sheets and install them around the pipes.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.