Is your main sewer line clogged? Attack of the Tree Roots!

Sacramento is nicknamed the City of Trees. It could also be called the City of Clogged Sewer Lines.

It’s irritating when a toilet, bathtub, or sink drain clogs, but you’ve got a real problem when it happens to a sewer line. Root damage to sewer lines leads to clogged, overflowing, and slow-flowing drains, sometimes accompanied by a gurgling noise from the bathtub, shower or toilet.  An obstruction in the sewer affects all the plumbing fixtures in the house, and if it gets bad enough, you may find sewage backing out of some of your drains.

Clearing a blocked sewer line takes professional expertise and equipment. THIS IS NOT A DIY PROJECT! Bonney’s sewer and drain experts are the one you should call when your sewer line is clogged.

Most sewer clogs are the result of invading tree roots into the pipes. The tree roots love the warmth and moisture of the sewer lines. They send feelers through tiny cracks or loose joints in the pipes. Once they get inside, the roots feed off the readily available nutrients. After a while, debris collects on the roots and blocks the flow of waste, causing blockages, broken pipes, and other serious headaches for homeowners.

Our certified premiere drain and sewer technicians will help diagnose the problem with your troublesome main line clog. Try our 123 sewer and drain program. It includes a camera inspection and up to 75 feet of line to clear your main line blockage. Lights! Camera! Action! We use the latest equipment and technology to give our customers a sense of relief that the job will be done right. Once your blockage is discovered, it’ll be cleared and your sewer line will be flowing like the mighty Sacramento River.

We reached out to our friends at the Sacramento Tree Foundation for some tree root tips. They are very proactive on the prevention side of tree roots and sewer pipe problems. They know where to plant the right tree in the right place. Kuldeep Singh, an arborist with the Sacramento Tree Foundation, told us “During a forester’s site visit to an individual’s home, we do ask our customers about their sewer pipes. Once the sewer line is identified, we use our Sacramento Tree Foundation tree siting guidelines to safely site trees.”

• Larger size tree sited no less than 6 feet from the sewer line.
• Medium size tree sited no less than 6 feet from the residential sewer pipe
• Small trees sighted no less than 3 feet from the residential sewer line

There are no sewer safe trees, but by planting smaller, slower-growing trees, sewer lines should be safer from the intrusion of tree roots. Smaller trees like a crape myrtle, Japanese maple, or a flowering dogwood tree are excellent choices because of their slow growth and non- invasive root system. According to Singh, “large trees known to have very vigorous roots should be avoided such as Liquidambar, mulberry, and willows.” He added, “All efforts should be made to know where the sewer pipe is located on your property and be aware of the tree root growth pattern.”

If you think you’re having a troublesome main line clog, give the experts at Bonney Plumbing, Heating, & Air a call at 800-444-0551.  We’ll make sure your drains are clean and clear with same day service. Don’t worry, we’re on it!