Your sewer system deserves a lot of credit. It’s a critical part of every home that doesn’t get much attention unless it stops working properly. The reality is our sewer systems are under attack year-round from two main culprits.
The Most Common Causes of Sewer Problems
The most common sewer problems come from us putting the wrong items down the sewer.
The second most common problem we see with our sewer camera inspections is from plants and tree roots infiltrating the sewer line.
All through Spring and Summer your trees and plants are persistently growing their roots in hopes of finding moisture, oxygen, and nutrients. Unfortunately, your sewer pipe has all three in abundance. Tree and plant roots attack the joints of your sewer system seeking nutrients. The roots grow slowly but over time they can create enough pressure to cause any pipe made of any material to fracture.
The most common way a home or building owner finds out that they have roots in their sewer system is after the first snow melts causing a backup. The end of summer is the best time to have your routine sewer camera inspection completed so that if you do have root infiltration, cabling the roots now will give you peace of mind.
Even if the roots in your sewer system are at the beginning stages, they can still create clogs by catching pieces of toilet paper or waste. If you have your lines inspected and do have plant or tree roots, it’s important to have them cleaned the right way.
Look Out For Trees That Can Cause The Most Damage
We recommend if you have any of these fast-growing trees in your yard you should have an annual sewer inspection:
- Silver and Norway Maple
- Sweetgum
- River Birch
- Cottonwood
- Aspen
- Sycamore
- Some species of Magnolia
The Best Way to Avoid Sewer Problems All Year Long is Preventive Care
- Do not flush “flushable” wipes, paper towels or tissue paper
- Use your wastebasket instead of your toilet for fats, grease, or trash
- Avoid planting any fast-growing trees from the above list
- Water your trees and plants in times of drought
- Plant all trees and bushes as far away from the sewer line as possible
- Have an annual sewer camera inspection
