The underground pipes that constitute a large section of your plumbing are among the essential systems that help your home run properly. On the other hand, mature trees are one of the few features of your home that improve in value as they age.
Abrams Realty Management notes that without a functioning plumbing system, your home would become uninhabitable and lose its value. Similarly, if you remove the trees in your home, the property’s curb appeal will diminish, indoor air quality will suffer, and the value of your house will fall.
Trees and underground plumbing pipes are critical to the value of your home. Yet, they can also cause massive problems in the house if their paths collide. Tree roots and buried water or drainage pipes should never meet unless you want plumbing issues in your home.
Intrusion into underground pipes by nearby tree roots is one of the leading causes of plumbing problems in the home. Tree roots can penetrate buried pipes and block the flow of freshwater or wastewater. Tree roots may also grow around a pipe and push it out of position.
Since these processes happen below the ground, they can go undetected for a long time. Even when problems start occurring in the plumbing, those issues are often assigned to other causes. Is there a way to know if tree roots are damaging your water pipes?
6 signs that tree roots are damaging your pipes
Underground pipes are only at risk of damage by plant roots if there are trees and shrubs with invasive root systems in the pipes’ vicinity. The following are some of the problems you will have in your home if tree roots are interfering with your pipes.
Slow drains
Tree roots inside drainage pipes will impede wastewater flow through pipes. That will cause water to pool inside the line, causing the drains in your home to become slow. If several drains are slow at the same time, you may suspect this problem.
Frequent clogs and blockages
Slow drains eventually become blocked. If the blockage is inside the main sewer line due to tree root intrusion, you may experience simultaneous and chronic blockades in most of, if not all, the drainage outlets in your home.
Low water pressure
Low water pressure across the entire home is often caused by leaks or tree roots inside the main water line. If this problem is in your home alone, but your neighbor’s property is not affected, tree roots may have damaged your water line.
Bad odors in your home
Foul odors in the home, especially from a plumbing fixture, may be a sign that tree roots are blocking the drainage pipes and preventing them from venting properly. Bad odors could also signify that tree roots have ruptured your main sewer line.
Gurgling sounds
If you hear gurgling sounds when you flush the toilet or pour water into a sink, it means that air is trapped inside the drain pipe due to blockages. These blockages can be caused by invasive tree roots inside pipes.
Higher water bills
If your water bill is rising but the rates have not increased, and your water usage pattern has not changed, you may leak in your main water line. Tree root intrusion is a common cause of leaks in the main water line.
How to deal with tree root intrusion
Solving this problem requires a two-pronged approach; you must remove the tree roots inside your pipes and find a way to prevent future invasion of the pipes by tree roots. To remove tree roots from pipes use the following temporary or permanent solutions:
Stunt root growth with copper sulfate
Flushing half a cup of copper sulfate into the toilet will kill the tree roots inside the pipes. This method is unsafe for septic systems.
Use rock salt
Rock salt used the same way as copper sulfate will kill tree roots or even the entire tree. It is a safer and more eco-friendly option.
Professional tree root removal
This can be done with a mechanical auger or professional hydro-jetting service. The machine is inserted into the pipes to get rid of the tree roots.
Pipelining
This step will stop the problem from happening again. Lining underground pipes will create an impenetrable barrier against tree roots.
Build tree root barriers
These are used to fence off tree roots from pipes. The barrier is installed inside a trench around the tree that goes 18-24 inches into the ground.
Conclusion
Dealing with tree root invasion in your plumbing is not something you should do by yourself. For accurate diagnosis of the problem and lasting, plus a cost-efficient solution to the problem, it is a good idea to work with a professional plumber in your locality.