Have you noticed a slow shower drain, or maybe several slow drains in the house? It could be a problem that has been building for a long time, in part because of what happens during winter. Many plants and shrubs stop growing between fall and spring, but that’s not the case with their roots. They can keep growing as long as the ground temperature is above freezing, which is basically all the time here in West Texas.
Why should you care? Armstrong knows it can be a problem if those tree and shrub roots invade your sewer or septic drain pipe. Tree roots can spread out from the trunk a distance equal to, or even more than, twice the height of the tree. During winter, those roots love to seek out the warm water and nutrients flowing through your sewage system. When a small tree root gets inside the pipe, it can start to grow and spread rapidly without the homeowner having any clue about what’s going on.
When combined with saturated ground from spring precipitation, you can have a recipe for disaster. Because of those factors, now is a great time to enlist in the services of an Armstrong plumber to make sure your drainage system is working correctly, especially if you have any of these warning signs:
- Slow drainage from a fixture
- The sound of gurgling from a toilet
- Wet areas around a floor drain after washing clothes
If these sound familiar, you should call Armstrong immediately to determine if you need drain cleaning. If left unchecked, the roots can completely block the sewage line, causing damaging backups into the home. What we will do is insert a video camera into the drain line to find out if there is a problem.
The good news is we can often remove a blockage without digging up your yard. Armstrong uses a hydro-jetter as a drain cleaner. It does the same thing as a drain snake for a clogged kitchen or bathroom drain, but it is basically a pressure washer on steroids. It uses a powerful jet of water to clean the pipe, and can even cut through small roots to clear a blockage.
If you’ve ever had to clean up the mess from a backup caused by a clogged drainage pipe, then you know some preventive maintenance by our Armstrong plumber is well worth the cost. Our experts can do much more than use a plumbing snake to unclog a toilet. Call Armstrong Plumbing, Air & Electric now to make an appointment.
