Whether you’ve built a new home or are working to fix up an older home, plantings in the landscape can do harm to your plumbing over time. A crucial first step in making large changes to your yard is to get all the lines marked. Knowing where water lines enter your home can help you make good plant choices. Your new shade tree can lower your AC needs, but it shouldn’t threaten your sewer line.
How Landscaping Can Impact Your Plumbing
Plumbing and landscaping may not be obviously connected, but the choices you make can have an impact. If you’re adding a deck or creating a feature that includes an ornamental tree, make sure you don’t limit access to your sewer clean-out.
For those shopping for older homes, it’s important to know whether or not you have access to a sewer main and a sewer clean-out. Septic tanks may have been in use at some point. Take the time to find out if you have an old septic tank on your property before you bring in any heavy equipment.
How Does Landscaping Put Plumbing At Risk?
The plants and plantings on your property can actually impact your plumbing from above and below. If the vent pipes on your roof are full of dead leaves, a single sink may not drain. The toilet may be prone to backing up. A plumbing expert can help you track down the source of the problem.
Pay careful attention to foundation plantings. A pretty shrub close to your home may draw in bees and butterflies, but those shrub roots can enter your home through tiny gaps around water pipes. Once those roots have a foothold, more groundwater penetration can occur, and if that water freezes, the cracks will get bigger.
It’s tempting to think that a small tree will have a small root system. However, small trees that produce food and flowers are actually heavy feeders. Their root systems can dig in deeply and may cause problems with the incoming water lines at the foundation of your home.
Trees and Common Plumbing Issues
Most sewer lines of a certain vintage are made of clay pipe. Over time, clay pipes can become vulnerable to tiny tree roots. Once the roots find a home in your sewer line, the tree will continue to feed on the nutrients it finds inside the sewer line.
These tiny roots can quickly contribute to clogs. Sand and dirt will seep in through the cracks where the tree roots are thriving. Paper and waste will build up against the roots. Any greases or fats poured down the line will get caught against paper and waste, making a sludgy mass that won’t move.
If all the drains in your home are slow, or if all the toilets are backing up, it’s probably an issue with your main sewer line. Getting the line cleaned out and scoped with a camera can give you information on the source of the problem and the requirements for repair.
