Everybody loves trees, especially in the fall when the leaves are vibrant red, orange, and yellow. In fact, Springfield is a Tree City. That means we have a good mix of trees vs. people, so we get top-notch oxygen in our city.
But trees and drain pipes don’t mix. Trees need the nutrients carried in your drain pipes. If there is the tiniest crack or slightest loose joint, tree roots will make their way in. And those roots are going to start causing problems with your sewer lines.
You certainly don’t want to remove trees unnecessarily, but you don’t want your drain pipes backing up either. What should you do?
Catch the problem early.
Be aware of these early warning signs that you’ve got an underground war waging –root vs. pipe.
- Gurgling toilet
- Slow draining tub and sinks
- Back up of water in your tub or washing machine
When you begin seeing these signs, you need to take action.
Call a professional.
This is when you need to call a professional to route out the lines. If you delay, those tree roots will win the war and you’ll end up with much more damage and costly repairs.
Plumbers and sewer specialists want to get up close and personal with the issue. We may send a snake with a camera down the lines to know for sure what is causing the blockage. There are some signs that will let us what we are dealing with without a camera. We try to save our customers that expense, but if we have to have the camera they will use it. The camera then will allow us to see how big the problem is and how much damage has been done.
What’s next?
Once we know exactly what is going on, we can start to fix it. Sometimes the blocked pipe can be cleared with chemicals or a machine that chops up the roots to get things flowing again.
If the damage is beyond chemicals or chopping, the prognosis is to replace the pipes. The best option is usually choosing plastic pipes. Metal pipes are heavy and tend to have loose joints and clay pipes are susceptible to root invasion.
You can keep your trees and your drain pipes coexisting happily. Whether you have clogged drains or any other plumbing issue that comes up, give us a call at 417-866-8257.
