Macon, GA, is home to a wide variety of trees, including thousands of beautiful cherry blossom trees that bloom in spring. Unfortunately, there’s a connection between tree roots and clogging drains, and almost any tree can cause a serious clog.
If you’re concerned about tree roots clogging your drains, the experienced team at Ricky Heath Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling is here to help with our sewer and plumbing services focused on care, speed, and quality.
Signs You Have Tree Roots Clogging Your Drains
Your drains can become clogged due to a variety of reasons, so how do you know if tree roots are the culprit? Here are some signs to look for that may indicate you have a tree root in a drainage pipe.
Slow drains or a drop in water pressure
A clog or blockage is the most common cause of slow drains, and this can easily be caused by a tree root. If your drains are slow or making a gurgling noise, a tree root may have entered the pipes. A sudden or noticeable drop in water pressure may also be the result of a tree root impeding the water flow into your home.
Sinkholes
Sinkholes forming in your lawn could appear due to pipe damage caused by tree root intrusion. Another sign to look for is extremely bright green patches of grass in your yard, often caused by leaking sewage that acts as fertilizer.
If you notice a visible sinkhole or green patches in your lawn, stay away from the area and contact Ricky Heath as soon as possible. We’ll arrive at your home and perform an inspection to determine the exact location and cause of the problem.
Foul odors
If tree roots damage your sewer lines, it may lead to unpleasant odors inside and outside of your home. The odor of rotten eggs is a common indicator of a major sewer line or plumbing blockage. This problem occurs when the waste from your sewer seeps back into your fixtures and drains, creating a strong, unpleasant odor that can permeate your entire home.
How Tree Roots End Up in Your Drain or Sewer Line
In most cases, tree roots enter your drain or sewer line through gaps or cracks in the pipes. Here are some ways tree roots could end up in your drain or sewer line:
- When water flows through your sewer pipes, oxygen, moisture, and nutrient-rich vapors escape through cracks and joints, attracting nearby tree roots.
- Even the smallest crack or a loose joint in pipes can release sufficient moisture and nutrients that attract tree roots.
- As soon as the roots find the source of the moisture and nutrients, they’ll start to grow in the direction toward your pipes, slowly filling any cracks or gaps with more roots.
- Once tree roots get into your sewer or drain line, they’ll continue to grow larger and expand, causing more damage and creating major blockages that could require a complete water or sewer line replacement.
If you ignore tree root intrusion in your drains, it will eventually lead to major backups, burst or broken pipes, slow drains, foul odors, or a major pipe collapse. Ignoring the issue may also cause more significant damage later, like dangerous sinkholes forming in your yard.
How Fast Do Tree Roots Grow in Sewer Pipes?
Tree roots can grow fairly quickly in sewer pipes and usually start spreading and getting larger within a few weeks or months. It can take as few as 30 days for most tree roots to start growing into your pipes, or it may take several years, depending on the circumstances.
These factors may affect how quickly tree roots grow into your sewer pipes:
- The condition of your pipes: If your pipes are old, cracked, or damaged, tree roots will likely grow more easily and rapidly.
- Soil conditions: Certain soil conditions, such as soil that easily erodes or shifts, may expose your pipes and make it easier for tree roots to reach them.
- The tree itself: Certain tree species are larger or have more aggressive root systems, which makes the problem worse.
- Access to water: Tree roots are drawn to moisture, so leaking or constantly wet pipes will attract tree root growth and affect the size and speed.
Removing Tree Roots From Your Drain or Sewer Line
The best long-term solution for tree roots in sewer lines is being proactive and taking preventative measures. Regular sewer line and plumbing inspections help you find issues early, and planting trees far away from your sewer lines helps prevent the roots from getting into your drain or pipes.
However, if you already have tree roots in your drain or sewer line, there are a few effective ways to remove them.
Root killers
Some chemical treatments, specifically root killers like copper sulfate, can be poured into the lines to kill tree roots. These treatments also help prevent future growth. However, they’re not very effective at completely removing major blockages. These treatments may also be extremely potent and cause a health or safety risk to you and the environment.
Mechanical auger
One effective way to remove stubborn tree roots is by calling the professionals at Ricky Heath. We use a variety of tools, including a special drain cleaning auger with a root-cutting head to physically cut and remove roots from your drains, pipes, or sewer line. Note that this method should only be utilized by an experienced, trained professional.
Hydro jetting
Even if the root issue is severe, you don’t necessarily have to dig up your yard to fix tree root damage to your sewer or drains. A specialized method called hydro getting uses high-pressure water jets to destroy and remove tree roots. Using this tool is also a great way to remove any leftover or excess debris remaining in your pipes after we implement the mechanical tree root removal method.
Trenchless pipe lining
Cured-in-place pipe lining (CIPP) is a trenchless method that can be used to repair your existing pipes without digging up your yard. A special epoxy liner is applied to the inside of your pipes, and once it’s fully cured, it acts as a new pipe. This durable pipe liner seals any gaps or openings and stops tree roots from getting into your pipes. It’s also very effective at stopping and preventing future leaks.
Contact Ricky Heath for Drain and Sewer Services
If you suspect that tree roots are growing into your drains, pipes, or sewer lines, don’t ignore the issue. The professional, experienced team at Ricky Heath Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling is available to help you solve this common issue at your Macon area home. Contact us today to schedule our professional drain and sewer services.
