Think your sewer isn’t draining properly? Signs include difficulty flushing the toilet, slow draining sinks, unpleasant smells, water collecting in areas such as the patio, porch, or yard, and if it is a severe case, you might see sunken steps or cracks in brick or concrete work.
Roots in the sewer liner are one of the most common reasons the drains in your home might be going slow. Even if you don’t have trees in your yard, roots from trees even hundreds of feet away can intrude your sewer lines.
Clay pipes are the most vulnerable to roots, because they have several joints. The joints are often weak, making it easy for roots to find their way inside. Depending on the environment, the weather or natural disasters could make them even weaker.
If you don’t have clay pipes, don’t think you’re free from worry about roots. Cast iron pipes don’t stand a chance against humidity and weaken over time. Plastic pipes can also wear down over time.
One way to clear up the problem, is with a drain snake. You can either rent one and do the job yourself, or a professional can do it for you. If you’re confident with tools, it’s really not hard to do.
The drain snake is sent down the sewer drain and, using teeth or a small saw, cuts through the roots blocking the drain.
Depending on how bad the clog is, you can rent different sizes of drain snakes, all with different power capabilities.
Roots in sewer lines are a pesky problem, because they can always come back. Even with chemical root killers, you might be killing the entire tree along with it. The only other solution is to dig up the entire underground piping system, along with the roots, and replace it.