Tree roots are one of the most common causes of recurring sewer line problems in older homes and commercial properties throughout Southeastern Connecticut and Southern Rhode Island.
We regularly see root intrusion in sewer lines throughout areas such as Groton, Mystic, New London, Waterford, Stonington, Norwich, Westerly and surrounding communities.
A sewer line may be cleaned, begin flowing normally again, and then months or years later the roots return.
The reason is simple: removing the roots does not necessarily repair the opening that allowed them into the sewer pipe in the first place.
Why Tree Roots Get Into Sewer Lines
Tree roots are naturally attracted to moisture.
If an underground sewer line develops a crack, separated joint, deteriorated connection or another small opening, moisture can escape into the surrounding soil. Nearby roots can eventually find that moisture and begin growing toward the pipe.
Roots commonly enter through:
- Cracked sewer pipes
- Separated pipe joints
- Deteriorated clay sewer lines
- Damaged or aging cast-iron piping
- Failed connections between different pipe materials
- Other structural defects in the sewer line
Once roots enter the sewer, the constant supply of moisture and nutrients can allow them to continue growing.
Eventually, a small amount of root intrusion can become a large obstruction inside the pipe.
Why Sewer Roots Keep Coming Back After Drain Cleaning
Professional drain cleaning, mechanical root cutting and hydro jetting can remove roots from inside a sewer line and restore proper flow.
However, cleaning the sewer does not necessarily repair the damaged joint or crack.
If the opening remains, roots can eventually grow back through it.
That is why some homeowners experience the same problem repeatedly:
The sewer backs up, the roots are removed, everything works again, and eventually the roots return.
In some situations, periodic preventative drain cleaning may keep the sewer functioning for quite some time.
But recurring root intrusion should never automatically be assumed to be harmless.
You Can Only Get Away With Root Intrusion for So Long
One of the biggest concerns with roots inside a sewer line is what may be happening to the pipe itself.
Roots can continue growing through damaged joints and cracks. As the root mass becomes larger, it can place additional stress on piping that may already be deteriorated.
Eventually, the sewer line may become:
- More severely cracked
- Separated at the joints
- Structurally weakened
- Partially collapsed
- Completely collapsed
At that point, simply cutting the roots out may no longer solve the problem.
A sewer line that could potentially have been rehabilitated earlier may eventually require excavation.
This is why we strongly recommend sewer camera inspections when a property experiences recurring root problems.
A camera inspection allows us to see the condition of the sewer line and determine why the roots are entering rather than simply clearing another blockage without identifying the underlying problem.
Waiting Too Long Can Turn Into an Expensive Excavation
The location of your sewer line can have a huge impact on the cost of repairing it.
A damaged section of sewer might be underneath an open lawn where excavation is relatively straightforward.
Unfortunately, sewer lines do not always fail in convenient locations.
The damaged section could be underneath:
- A driveway
- A sidewalk
- Landscaping
- Retaining walls
- Concrete
- A parking lot
- Other underground utilities
- A building
- Or the roadway itself
A sewer repair underneath the road can become an especially complicated project.
Depending on the location, excavation may involve road-opening permits, traffic control, pavement cutting and restoration, utility coordination and significantly more labor and equipment.
Water, gas, electrical, telecommunications and other underground utilities can also make excavation much more difficult.
A repair that may have once been possible using trenchless rehabilitation can become wildly more expensive if the existing sewer deteriorates to the point where digging becomes unavoidable.
Trenchless Sewer Pipelining Can Provide a Permanent Solution to Root Intrusion
When the existing sewer pipe is still structurally suitable for rehabilitation, trenchless sewer pipelining can provide a permanent solution to recurring root intrusion.
Instead of continually cutting roots out of the sewer, the damaged pipeline is rehabilitated from the inside.
A structural liner is installed within the existing pipe, creating a new pipe inside the old sewer line.
The liner covers cracks, deteriorated joints and other openings that previously allowed roots to enter.
Instead of repeatedly treating the symptom, sewer pipelining addresses the actual pathway the roots are using to get inside the pipe.
Another major advantage is that trenchless sewer lining can often be completed without excavating the entire sewer line.
That can be extremely valuable when the existing sewer runs underneath driveways, landscaping, parking areas, structures or roadways.
The Sewer Has to Be Lined Before It Is Too Far Gone
Pipelining is an excellent rehabilitation option, but it cannot fix every sewer line.
The existing pipe must still be in a condition that allows a liner to be properly installed.
If sections of the sewer become completely collapsed, severely separated or structurally destroyed, lining may no longer be possible.
At that point, excavation may be required to physically replace the damaged pipe.
That is why timing matters.
If roots repeatedly enter the same sewer line, it is worth determining why they are getting inside and how much damage has already occurred.
Depending on the condition of the pipeline, the right solution may be:
- Preventative sewer cleaning
- Hydro jetting
- Root removal
- Sewer camera inspection
- Localized sewer repair
- Trenchless sewer pipelining
- Traditional excavation and replacement
The goal should be to address the problem before a manageable sewer defect becomes a major underground repair.
Sewer Root Problems in Southeastern Connecticut
Older sewer systems are common throughout Southeastern Connecticut, and many properties contain aging cast-iron, clay and other older sewer piping.
Superior Sewer & Drain Service provides sewer and drain services throughout communities including:
Groton, Mystic, New London, Waterford, Stonington, Pawcatuck, Ledyard, Norwich, East Lyme, Niantic, Old Lyme and surrounding Southeastern Connecticut areas.
If you are experiencing recurring sewer backups, slow drainage or known tree root intrusion, a sewer camera inspection can help determine the actual condition of the pipe and whether continued cleaning or permanent rehabilitation makes more sense.
Sewer Root Problems in Southern Rhode Island
We also provide sewer and drain services throughout Southern Rhode Island, including Westerly, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Ashaway, Bradford and surrounding areas.
Properties throughout Southern Rhode Island can experience many of the same issues involving older sewer lines, deteriorated joints and tree root intrusion.
When roots repeatedly return, inspecting the sewer before more serious structural damage occurs can potentially save a property owner from a significantly larger excavation project later.
Dealing With Tree Roots in Your Sewer Line?
If tree roots keep growing into your sewer line, removing them repeatedly may only be a temporary solution.
Superior Sewer & Drain Service specializes in drain cleaning, hydro jetting, sewer camera inspections, underground sewer repair and trenchless sewer pipelining throughout Southeastern Connecticut and Southern Rhode Island.
We can inspect the sewer, determine where the roots are entering and help determine whether continued maintenance, repair or trenchless pipelining is the best long-term solution.
Superior Sewer & Drain Service
860-639-8944
