Something I have noticed over the years is that, often times, when folks plant a tree in their yard, they don't always consider what might be beneath the ground they're planting on. Understandably, it can be hard to imagine how large that tree will actually become over time when you plant it as a tiny sapling, but grow it will, and sometimes, faster than you think!
Why does this matter? Trees have roots. And those roots never stop growing or seeking out water. So it's vital that you first consider how close your tree and it's roots will come to any underground pipes/utilities on your property, before you decide on the perfect spot for your new addition.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying not to plant a tree... by all means, plant that sucker! But I've discovered that it is usually better to take into account what is below the perfect spot for that tree in advance, in order to avoid a big mess down the road.
Tree root growth always amazes me. As someone who is excavating for water, sewer, gas and storm lines all the time, I have seen root growth in some really crazy places.
As much as you don't want to think about what goes through your sewer line, the tree roots love it!
During fall, as the soil begins to dry out, tree roots become more aggressive in their search for moisture. Roots are naturally drawn to the nutrient-rich and moist environment inside and outside underground pipes. They navigate toward pipes, making underground pipes susceptible to aggressive root growth.
If you have trees close to your home, fall drain cleaning is essential to protect your plumbing from root invasion, as roots become more active during this season.
Roots will always seek out water. Sometimes they'll wrap around an old water line, or our "favorite", a sewer, water, gas, and electric line all in the same place!
So what do you do? Give Crossroads a call. If you already have a tree root issue we have machines to quickly root out your sewer lines and get things flowing again!
If this is a recurring problem we can pin point and spot repair your line right where the problem is. The good news: YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE LINE!!
Don't get fooled, if you have one tree causing issues you don't necessarily have to remove your entire sewer line, or line the whole thing. With a root locator and sometimes a camera, we can pin point the exact location of your issue and stop the trouble right where it begins.
If you're not sure where your utilities are we can locate your utilities for you as well for the cost of a service call. But it could potentially save you much more in multiple service calls down the road to fix something that could have been prevented.
Our main goal is to help you keep your plumbing in, and out of the house, running clear and free so issues don't stop you when you least expect them.
So plant your trees my fellow Americans (being mindful of how close you plant to your utility lines)! And if you have a root problem or want a second opinion, just give us a call. We're always here to help.
~Tio