Trees around your home might add beauty to your property and offer some shade from the scorching sun, but they come with a catch—their roots. Tree roots might seem harmless on the surface, but beneath the ground, they can be hard on your septic system. If left unchecked, these roots can lead to serious damage to your home’s drainage structure.
In this blog, we’ll explain how tree roots can destroy your septic system, and why professional sewage cleanup might be necessary to deal with this problem.
Dangers of Tree Roots in Your Septic System
Tree roots naturally extend in whatever direction they can find more nutrients and water. Since your septic system is full of both of these, it becomes an attractive target for the roots which might grow towards the septic system. This growth raises a number of issues that can need to be solved in time to prevent a major mishap. Here are some of the main problems caused by the tree roots in a septic system:
Blocked Wastewater Flow
Roots enter the septic pipes through any cracks, joints, or porous areas they can find, and gradually grow inside the pipe, which blocks the wastewater flow. Over time, these blockages add up, and the water struggles to move through the clogged pipes. Due to these blockages in the water flow, the wastewater might start backflow into your toilet, sinks, or other drains, causing unsanitary conditions and water damage.
In some cases, it might take only a few months for the roots to cause significant blockages after they infiltrate the pipes. If ignored in initial stages, extensive sewage cleanup might be required to fix these issues.
Cracked or Broken Pipes
Another common issue that happens due to roots breaking into the septic system is cracked or broken pipes. When tree roots reach the septic pipes, they put much pressure on the pipe walls. If the pipes are old or are made of low-quality materials they might crack and start leaking sewage to the surrounding area.
Damage to the Septic Tank
In addition to the damage to the pipes, tree roots can also harm the septic tank. After reaching the septic tank, the roots find any cracks or weak points and grow inwards. Once inside the tank, these roots can compromise the structural integrity of the entire septic system and might cost you an arm and a leg if you don’t perform sewage cleanup on time.
Clogged Drain Fields
Septic systems have drain fields that filter and treat the wastewater before it gets released in the groundwater. If the tree roots infiltrate these drain field pipes, they can cause clogging and prevent proper drainage. It leads to standing water, foul smell and might even cause the sewage to show up on ground if the problem is not solved for a long duration.
Roots in the drain field can also lead to reduced soil absorption which makes it difficult for the system to treat the wastewater. It might require expensive repairs or replacing sections of drain field to fix the issue.
Sewage Leaks
As we discussed above, the tree roots can cause cracks in the septic pipes or even the septic tank. The untreated sewage can seep out of these cracks into the surrounding groundwater. This contamination of the groundwater leads to foul smell, soggy soil and health issues like water-borne diseases due to contaminated water.
Repairing the septic system or sewage cleanup at this stage might be costly but needs to be done as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
Increased Maintenance and Costs
Once the tree roots have penetrated your septic system, you might get stuck in an ongoing cycle of maintenance and root growth as growing roots need to be regularly managed with frequent inspections, cleaning or sewage cleanups. These preventive measures mean you’ll have to spend more on maintaining the septic system.
On top of that maintenance cost, if the root damage gets severe, you might need to repair parts of the septic system, which will lead to even more costs.
Read More: Top 5 Causes of Sewage Backups and How to Prevent Them
Protect Your Septic System with Professional Sewage Cleanup
Without regular sewage cleanup, tree roots can destroy your septic system. If you’re dealing with frequent blocked pipes or sewage leaks, your septic system might be infiltrated by the tree roots.
At Flood Restoration Pros, our IICRC-certified team specializes in septic system repair and sewage cleanups to make sure your septic system remains clear of any obstructions like the roots. We use special tools and techniques to keep your home safe and protected from any harm due to overflowing sewage.
Don’t wait for the tree roots to wreak havoc on our septic system—contact us today!
