How Trees Can Destroy Your Home's Sewer Line

June 08, 2016

You try to be vigilant and make sure you avoid putting anything down the drain that would plug your pipes. You don’t flush anything but toilet paper; you don’t put pasta, meat, or oils down the garbage disposal; and you make sure to have strainers on all your drains. But have you thought of everything in order to help stop a costly sewer line repair?

Go outside because you may be ignoring the most detrimental problem of all: tree roots.

Trees want nutrients and their roots are where they absorb nutrients through, so the tip of the tree root is continuously “searching for” and “reaching for” a source of moisture and nutrients and they are very attracted to a leaking sewer line in need of repair.

Most of time, tree roots will leave healthy, unbroken sewer lines alone. They usually only invade leaking, split, or damaged lines buried within the top 24 inches of the earth. When this happens the first damage not only gets worse, the tree roots can actually clog the sewer lines and reduce the water flow, resulting in overflows and even flooding your home or building.

So what do you do? Call a sewer line repair expert in Kitchener.

A sewer line repair will typically be easier (and cheaper) than a completely broken pipe, so if you suspect trouble with your sewer line, especially if you think tree roots are getting into the pipe, call Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare immediately.

Sewer line repair professionals at Boehmers/Cronin Emery will use a sewer inspection camera to decide whether or not the sewer system has a tree root problem. Once the issue has been confirmed, our sewer line repair expert will review all of your options with you and help you decide the best plan, whether that’s a trenchless sewer line replacement or just removing the tree roots.

Note, faster growing trees, such as cottonwood, silver maples, or willow, may cause more issues because they grow faster. Slower growing trees are a better alternative, but they still need to be removed and another tree replanted every six to ten years to avoid their roots from damaging the sewer lines. Also, remember to plant trees a good distance from your sewer lines, that way you can help prevent damage and stop those pesky (and often expensive) sewer line repairs. If you’re unsure where your sewer lines are, ask Boehmers/Cronin Emery to flag the path of the sewer pipes.

So if you think your tree roots have come in contact with your sewer line or you have any plumbing needs at all, call Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare in Kitchener and we are happy to come to your home and see if you need a sewer line repair or do a full plumbing maintenance to make sure your pipes are good to go.