Many home buyers are drawn to shady streets with mature trees that add a lovely touch to the property and neighborhood. As lovely, and eco-friendly as they might be, trees can also wreak havoc with your property. One of the biggest threats is tree roots which can cause serious, costly damage to underground pipes. While it might seem impossible for a tree to break sewer lines, the larger the tree the more intrusive the roots. This increases the risk for pipe damage.
Trees depend on their roots to provide life-giving water and nutrients that keep them alive. As trees mature, the root systems become quite complicated, spanning a large area. Not only do they spread, but they also grow as they have to support the growth and height of the trunk and branches above. All you see is a lovely, green, and shady tree, but what lies below is not just the tree’s roots, but the sewer lines servicing your home.
Tree roots can sense the water and oxygen coming from pipes. Since they need this to survive, they will create a path leading to the pipes. If there is a cracked pipe, the roots are even more likely to seek out the pipe’s location. Once the roots reach the pipe, they will break in through the crack. As the tree grows, the roots grow, causing more and more damage. It is not just cracked pipes that roots can damage. The force of the roots can break through pipes in good condition, causing just as much damage.
Once a root enters the sewer line it leads to many issues. Not only will growth continue to crack and open the pipe, but it will also grow into the pipe leading to blockage. This is a scary thought because everything is happening underground, so you won’t know something is wrong until it becomes serious. As a result, the roots continue to grow eventually causing complete collapse of the pipe.
If you do have trees on your property, you should be on the lookout for signs they have broken your sewer line. An early red flag is gargling toilets or foul smells coming from clean sinks and toilets. The sooner you speak to your Denver plumbing experts at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical, the sooner you can confirm you have root damage. As things become more serious you might also notice the following issues:
All of these signs indicate your sewer lines are damaged and require immediate attention.
Speaking to a reputable Denver plumbing team is the first step. You want a company offering video inspection services as this is the best way to quickly discover root damage. They can pinpoint where the issue lies and how much damage has occurred. When tree roots are the problem, depending on the extent of the damage, sewer line replacement using root-resistant materials might be recommended. The roots will have to be removed and then measures taken to control the roots from causing further damage.
In some cases, it might require re-routing of the sewer line, or using herbicides to control growth. Steps to clear blockages include using special equipment to break down the roots such as drill and rodding machines and then doing a final blast using hydro-jetting equipment to wash away the debris. Once this is done, we will have a better idea of how much damage the roots have caused and make recommendations on the repairs or replacements required.
There are a few ways to reduce the risk for broken sewer lines including:
These steps allow you to take a more proactive approach to property care which in turn reduces risk for sewer line damage.
We’re ready to answer your questions or schedule your appointment, call now or book online!
Ben was great!! He was thoughtful in listening to are issue with our furnace and corrected the problem with little or no time wasted. He also was a very kind and relatable in explaining the issues and what he did to correct the problem and for that we are thankful to him as... Read more
We had a leak in our 1980’s bathroom that was getting worse by the day. Dylan showed up on time, quickly diagnosed the issue, and had it fixed in no time. He was super professional and respectful of our home. The pricing was fair and transparent, and he explained everything... Read more
Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical is incredible, especially the electrical team. Huge thanks to Jeremiah, Trey, Nick, and Micah, who exceeded all expectations! They completed a large project, including a new main panel, and it's a work of art - the overhead... Read more
I recently had the pleasure of working with David Agosto from Bell for some plumbing issues at my home, and I couldn’t be more impressed with his work. David arrived on time, was extremely professional, and took the time to thoroughly assess the situation. He explained the... Read more
We have used Bell Plumbing throughout the twenty years we have owned our home. From bathroom updates to a complete re-piping of our water lines Bell has always been professional. They recently replaced our furnace and within the first year it had some issues. The technician... Read more
Joined Bell membership a few months ago. Hugh did a great job adding an adjustable wire cover at the electrical panel to help prevent the wires from exposing in an event of ground settling.
This time we gave Bell a call for furnace service. Mike McGowan showed up next day and... Read more
Bell Plumbing and Dylan were great to work with. Prompt, efficient, thorough, and very nice. Dylan identified a couple of code issues that two other companies had missed and explained everything in detail before and after work. I actually felt like I knew something about... Read more
I can’t express enough how much I appreciate the work that Chris completed for a boiler repair. He answered several questions and ensured the repair approach was correct and then far exceeded my expectations. The boiler is working exceptionally well and my customers are very... Read more
Jordan was efficient and executed the repair quickly. His assessment and feedback helped me to know what the scope of the issue was and how the task would be completed. Jordan then went about completing the repair and notified me when he was finished. I appreciate the... Read more
Bell has been awesome to work with. Levi helped us out of an emergency plumbing situation. He thoroughly explained what was needed and followed up the next week for a complimentary camera inspection of the sewer line issue. Fair price. Great people.
Jeremiah was awesome. He explained everything to us in a way we could understand. Very professional and cared about his work and how we were treated. I would highly recommend him and if I need an Electrician again, I know I will ask for him. A great asset to your company.
Jeremiah replaced the electrical panel on our home recently. We have complete confidence in the workmanship, and he was a pleasure to work with. Earlier in the year Bell replaced our water heater, and that was a great experience as well. Everyone we have interacted with at Bell... Read more
Tech arrived on time . Called before for his timeline . Very professional. Clean attire. Respectfull, of me and my house . Got the job done quickly . Explained the procedure to fix the problem. Very clean didn’t make a mess .. highly recommend this tech and Bell plumbing . ... Read more
We had several Electric Vehicle charger installation bids from other companies and Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical worked with us to match the lowest cost bid, as well as installed the EV charger in our home about a month sooner than the other company.
We... Read more
Nick at Bell came to check hot water heaters which were old and needed replacing. Very quick on response/appointment and installed new ones same day. Very professional and Good communication throughout job. Very happy with results
I had 2 (unrelated) issues over the past week: a bathroom faucet/handle dripping/not working properly and a leak under the K sink. The technicians (Alex and Thomas) were both professional, knowledgeable and thorough and fixed both issues. The Bell process is very efficient: a... Read more
I used Bell for a clogged drain. Very professional from beginning to end. The person taking the appointment was thorough, communicating what to expect. The dispatcher provided the appointment details and communicated that a tecnician was available early. The technician (Levi)... Read more
Dan was beyond helpful and knowledgeable! He fixed our problem quickly and even better than it was before the issues began. The best part, though, is that Dan gave us three different options, and the least expensive option ended up working great AND ended up costing less than... Read more
These guys did a great job with a last-minute toilet clog. I really appreciated the demeanor and professional manner of the young man who worked to solve our problem efficiently and with clear explanation. The price was good with the coupon and I would recommend to anyone.
What a great experience! New to the area and picked them based off of their reviews. Exceeded my expectations. Very thorough and professional from start to finish! Troy, the electrician, was so great! Macy who scheduled me was also a stand out. Will be using them for everything... Read more
If anyone is looking to get their furnace fixed or serviced then I would recommend Bell plumbing and heating company. These folks were able to fit me in when they had a full schedule. The technician Cameron White was on time and very professional. These folks definitely have a... Read more
I used Bell's electrical service for the first time today. The service was great. Jeremiah did an outstanding job. He took time to troubleshoot and explained my options. After finishing the repairs Jeremiah took the time to explain how to install and which BR30 recessed light... Read more
Really really happy with Bell. I had a leaking hot water heater, and got multiple estimates. Bell was very professional, gave me a very reasonable estimate and did an outstanding job on the day of my service (Daniel). Professionalism all the way through. High-quality work... Read more
The Bell Electrical team of Jeremiah, Nick and Ethan worked at my house today to remove & replace a 25+ yr old 60” ceiling fan on a 20+ ft high ceiling/ open floor plan. No small feat. They communicated with me well on what had to be tackled and the process to do so. The... Read more
