How Tree Roots Damage Sewer Lines

Trees are beautiful. They not only enhance your landscape, but they also provide vitally important shade during hot summer days in Texas. But when tree roots penetrate the pipes running through your yard, they can lead to costly, and messy sewer backups.

Keep your sewer lines clear and root free with help from Benjamin Franklin, your Dallas punctual plumber.

Why Tree Roots Grow into Your Sewer Line

The short answer as to why tree roots infiltrate sewer lines is they simply like it in there. Pipes contain all the elements that are essential for tree growth: oxygen, nutrients and water.

If not checked, roots can completely entangle a pipe with hair-like masses. As toilet tissue, waste, grease and other debris travel down your line, they gum onto these roots and gradually reduce the flow of water. Eventually, a clog will form that will render your toilet useless and your drains backed up.

The warm water that flows inside your sewer line creates vapor that escapes into the cooler surrounding soil. Roots are attracted to this vapor and will find a loose joint or crack in a pipe to enter and get to the good stuff (nutrients, moisture, etc.). As these roots grow, they inflict greater damage to your plumbing until your pipes eventually break.

How to Get Rid of Tree Roots in Pipes

Regular sewer line maintenance removes tree roots and prevents them from tearing apart your underground plumbing. Annual drain cleaning is a good practice for most homeowners.

 If you hear strange gurgling noises from your toilet bowl, it’s likely you have a blockage in your sewer line. Clay pipe is typically the most susceptible to root intrusion, but PVC and concrete pipe can also be breached. A plumber with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Dallas can perform a camera inspection to pinpoint the exact source. This allows us to perform repairs quickly and restore your plumbing to normal.

To remove the roots, a technician will use a rooter or small electric saw blade, sent into the pipe, to cut away the mass. If your plumbing is severely damaged, your plumber will likely recommend sewer line replacement.

Tree Root Removal for Your Dallas Home

For a drain inspection and cleaning to remove tree roots from your sewer line, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. We perform drain cleaning, repair and replacement in Plano, McKinney and the greater Dallas metro.