Planting trees is a simple and cost-effective way to enhance your home’s curb appeal. But their benefits go beyond making your yard more attractive. Trees help clean the air around us and give us fresher air.
However, tree roots are notorious for breaking into sewer lines and causing issues with your plumbing systems. The question is, “How do you know there are tree roots in your sewer lines?” When is the right time to call in a plumber? Let’s dive into this issue.
How Tree Roots Get Into Sewer Lines
Most of the time, tree roots grow around a sewer pipe. Other times, they can break into the pipe. If you’re wondering how this happens, here are the three most common ways:
- They find existing cracks
- They break pipes
- They dry out the surrounding soil
Let’s take a closer look at these.
They Find Existing Cracks
A sewer pipe degrades as it ages, which can make it more susceptible to damage. However, age is just one cause of sewer pipe cracks.
There are other culprits, such as:
- Poor installation techniques, like improper welding or misaligned joints
- Ground shifting due to soil erosion, an earthquake or nearby construction work
- Piping materials that are prone to corrosion or brittleness
- Rapid temperature changes between cold and hot weather
When a sewer pipe cracks, wastewater can leak out and attract tree roots. Then, tree roots enter the pipe through these narrow entry points.
They Break Pipes
When there are no cracks in your sewer line, tree roots can create one if the environment is favorable. This happens when vapor from sewer pipes reaches nearby roots.
Roots are naturally drawn to moisture sources. So, they grow in the direction of the vapor and break into pipes.
They Dry Out the Surrounding Soil
Roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil and then distribute them to the other parts of the tree. This dries out the soil and alters its structure, leading to one of these four scenarios.
The pipe may:
- Crack due to shifting soil
- Collapse if the surrounding soil isn’t sufficient to support it
- Disconnect at the joints
- Shift out of alignment
Whether tree roots sneak through existing cracks, break into pipes or dry out the surrounding soil, they can cause serious damage to your sewer lines.
Why Do Tree Roots Affect Sewer Lines?
To fully understand why tree roots affect sewer lines, let’s look at how they work.
Tree roots need four key elements to develop:
- Water
- Oxygen
- Suitable temperature
- Nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and iron
A sewer line provides all of these key elements. It is moist and warm underground, which also helps explain why tree roots are drawn to it. As these roots infiltrate your sewer line or grow around pipes, you may encounter plumbing issues, including the following:
- Blockages
- Pipe damage
- Sewer line collapse
Let’s explore these in detail.
Blockages
Roots in sewer lines form dense masses that can block the flow of wastewater. Clogs usually start small, but they can quickly expand, leading to a chain of unsanitary issues. You may notice sewage overflow or a clogged sink drain. Unlike regular clogs, blockages caused by tree roots in sewer lines may not respond to plungers or other DIY methods.
Pipe Damage
Roots enter sewer lines through small cracks and loose joints. Once they are inside, they grow even bigger, applying pressure to the pipe. This enlarges the cracks and may even cause the pipe to rupture. Prolonged pressure may also compromise the structural integrity of your plumbing system.
Sewer Line Collapse
In cases of extreme pressure and damage, the sewer line may completely fall apart. Since this issue occurs underground, an experienced plumber will need to diagnose and repair the problem.
How to Know If Tree Roots Are in Sewer Lines
Tree roots are stealthy invaders. Before they cause serious damage to your home, look out for these five potential signs that they’ve taken over your sewer lines:
- Slow-draining sinks and toilets
- Gurgling sounds from drains
- Water leaks
- Sewer backups
- Foul odors
Let’s go into more detail on each of these.
Slow-Draining Sinks and Toilets
One telltale sign of tree roots in sewer lines is a slow-draining sink or toilet. A healthy plumbing system allows water to flow down the drain smoothly. A compromised sewer line causes slow drainage, which comes with these additional signs:
- The water level rises too high before finally going down
- Clearing the toilet bowl or sink requires multiple flushes
- Water spins slowly as it drains
- The sink fills up quickly when you turn on the faucet
Gurgling Sounds From Drains
A gurgling sound is a common sign of a plumbing issue. If you are draining a lot of water, a slight gurgle is no cause for alarm. However, if this persists and the sound is quite loud, you are likely dealing with a blocked drain or a clogged sewer line.
Here’s how to tell the two apart:
- If the gurgling sound comes from only one drain, that means there’s a clog in that particular pipeline.
- If more than one drain in your home gurgles, you may have a clogged sewer line.
Water Leaks
If you suspect there are tree roots in the sewer line, a water leak is one of the most obvious signs to look out for. Roots create new cracks in pipes or enlarge existing ones. Either way, water leaks out through these openings and drenches the surrounding soil.
Other signs of water leaks in the house include:
- Unusually high water bills
- Soggy patches in your yard, even when it hasn’t rained
Keep in mind that tree roots in sewer lines don’t cause ceiling leaks. So, if you notice water leaking from ceilings, you may be dealing with something else entirely, like a damaged pipe, a leaky roof or a faulty water-consuming appliance.
Sewer Backups
A sewer backup happens when wastewater flows back into your home through the drain. In other words, dirty water that’s supposed to exit your home flows back in, usually through a toilet, bathtub, sink or floor drain.
Contact an experienced plumber if you notice wastewater backing up or pooling around your drains.
Foul Odors
It is not uncommon for your bathroom to have an odor after use. But when it always smells like sewage, there’s a problem. And sometimes, it’s because tree roots have invaded your sewer line, creating a blockage.
Sewer lines are installed underground. This keeps bad smells away from your home. However, when tree roots break into pipes and cause blockages, foul odors can accumulate as bacteria break down organic waste. With nowhere else to go, this smell escapes into your home through drains and other openings.
Check out these key indicators that tree roots in sewer lines are behind the foul stench in your home:
- You smell rotten eggs or sewage near drains.
- The smell worsens after water use.
- The smell lingers even after you’ve cleaned your home, especially in your bathrooms, kitchen and other areas with drains.
If you notice one of these signs, it’s time to contact a professional plumber for help.
How Common Are Roots in Sewer Lines?
Tree roots are naturally attracted to water sources and nutrient-dense environments, which sewer lines are known for. So, it’s not surprising that more than 50 percent of all sewer blockages are caused by tree roots.
While tree root infiltration is a common problem homeowners face, certain conditions can make your home more susceptible to it. One of these is a crack in underground pipes. If the pipes are already compromised, there’s a higher chance of nearby tree roots breaking in.
Another reason why some sewer lines are at a higher risk of a tree root invasion is that they’re close to tree species with aggressive root systems.
Examples of such trees include:
- Willows
- Poplars
- American elms
The roots of these trees can extend 20 feet deep and over 150 feet long in search of water and nutrients, which can put nearby sewer lines at risk. That’s why experts recommend planting new trees at least 10 feet away from sewer lines.
What To Do if Tree Roots Are in the Sewer Line
Sewer line issues can compromise indoor air quality and make your living space uncomfortable. If you notice signs of a tree root invasion, get help from an experienced plumber. They’ll inspect your sewer line and fix the problem.
ABC Can Get Your Plumbing System Flowing Again
Tree roots growing into sewer lines can lead to serious clogs, slow drains and costly damage. Instead of trying to tackle the issue on your own, call in the pros at ABC Home & Commercial Services. With expert leak detection and troubleshooting, our experts will identify the problem and restore your plumbing system efficiently.
