Sewer Cleaning Company can keep your pipes flowing freely from April showers that may bring sewer backups and wet basements

Roots In Line
In search of water and nutrients, tree roots work their way into your drains and sewer line causing wet basements and sewage back-ups. Proper maintenance is the key to keeping your lines running freely

By Mitch Allen

Early spring is a beautiful time of year. Purple crocus rise out of the waning snow and the buds of trees prepare for the annual unfurling of their glorious blossoms and tender leaves.

But underground, something not so glorious is also happening. Spurred on by the lengthening daylight and warming soil, the roots of trees have awakened, wiggling and writhing in search of minerals and moisture to nourish the colorful show unfolding above them. And one of their favorite places to search for life-giving water is—inside your sewer line.

“Tree roots are relentless,” explains Anthony Peto, founder of Sewer Cleaning Company. “They’ll work their way into your sewer line through the tiniest crack. It’s like they have a mind of their own, but actually they are attracted to the water in your lines.”

Each spring, Anthony’s phone begin ringing off the hook with calls from anxious homeowners experiencing sewer back-ups and wet basements. “Not only are the tree roots clogging sewer lines, but slow-running drain tiles at the foundation of many homes can’t handle the volume of spring rains, sending water into the basement,” he says.

The solution, of course, is prevention. Don’t wait for water to appear in your basement or for the tell-tale gurgling of the toilet, but to practice proper maintenance, especially if you’ve had a back-up before or if you live on a lot with mature trees.

In other words, the key is prevention.

An Ounce of Prevention—For Free

“If you’re nervous every time a toilet flushes or every time it rains or every time you have houseguests, then call us,” says Anthony, who has 20 years experience in construction and property management. “There’s no reason to live with that stress.”

Although Anthony and his team tackle plenty of emergency sewer backups and wet basements, it’s best not to wait that long. “Call us before you have a problem,” he says, “It’s going to be easier, cleaner and a lot less expensive than waiting for a backup”

Much like a colonscopy for your sewer line, Sewer Cleaning Company uses advanced videoscoping technology to diagnose your line

And right now you can have your sewer line checked out at no charge. For a limited time, Sewer Cleaning Company is offering Mimi readers a free sewer line videoscoping. That’s a $149 value with no purchase necessary and no strings attached. This advanced videoscoping system means the team knows in advance what kind of clog you have because they run a camera down your sewer and record what’s going on.

“It’s like a colonoscopy for your pipes,” Anthony says, “Once we have a ‘diagnosis,’ then we know exactly how to treat it.”

While Sewer Cleaning Company has traditional snakes and cutter heads at their disposal, they specialize in clearing lines with today’s high-tech, high-pressure water jets designed to tackle different types of clogs.

“We employ a powerful 4,000 psi, 9-gallons-per-minute water jet system with the capacity to clean up to an 8-inch commercial sanitary line, or a small, 1.25-inch vanity drain line,” he says.

You May Not Need Basement Waterproofing

If you have a damp basement, you may not need expensive basement waterproofing, Anthony advises. “Many times a damp basement is caused by a clogged drain tile,” Anthony says, “That’s the pipe—often terracotta—that drains the water away from your foundation. So before you spend thousands on basement waterproofing, get peace of mind by spending a few hundred with us. It might be a simple fix.”

Anthony also advises that you check the landscaping around your home. “Your flower beds should be sloping away from your foundation,” he says. “If they’re not, try moving some dirt to adjust the level of the soil before you mulch this year.”

Although Sewer Cleaning Company can clear almost any sewer line, sometimes the pipe is just too far gone. In that case, the company can replace your entire sewer line, including excavation

By the way, if your sewer line is beyond repair, Sewer Cleaning Company also specializes in complete replacement, including excavation.

Sewer Cleaning Company is headquartered in Chesterland, but serves all of Northeast Ohio. For more information, to schedule a service or get a free over-the-phone quote, call 440-290-6055 or visit SewerCleaningCompany.com and fill out the convenient contact form. The company typically offers same-day or next-day service.