Your sewer line runs beneath your home and underground to the municipal sewer main. If this pipe develops cracks, blockages, or offset sections, pathogenic waste could come rushing into your home. Damaged sewer lines contaminate groundwater and soil, and they can render outdoor areas unusable. With warmer weather, seasonal increases in precipitation, and fast-growing foliage, spring is the perfect time to take care of your sewer line. Here’s why.

Heavy Precipitation

Heavy rains lead to increased groundwater. Excess water can infiltrate your sewer line and overwhelm it. Sewer lines with buildups of grease, silt, sediment, and slow-degrading materials have a higher likelihood of clogging when internal moisture rises. Older sewer pipes can crack, rupture, or leak.

You can limit the risk of groundwater damage by having your sewer line professionally inspected. A well-timed sewer line inspection will reveal existing obstructions and age-related degradation. This way, your plumber can replace or reinforce failing pipe sections and address other issues early on.

Sewer line inspections can also reveal:

• Sagging, bellied pipes
• Hairline cracks
• Heavy, hard water deposits
• Tree root intrusion
• Evidence of pests

Shifting Soil

Increased moisture from springtime rains can saturate local soils. If you have dense, heavy, clay-like soil in your yard, this extra weight can lead to crushed or compressed pipe sections. Shifting soil, soil erosion, and soil compression can cause sewer bellies, offset pipes, and other structural problems.

Fast-Growing Tree Roots and Weeds

Spring is the season of new growth. When the season arrives, weeds, flowers, grass, and trees often experience head-turning changes. Unfortunately, it’s the changes that you can’t see that could harm your sewer line. Underground, invasive tree and weed roots can enter sewer pipes via cracks just millimeters wide.

Tree and weed root intrusion are among the most common causes of whole-house backups and major sewer line leaks. Professional camera inspection services can identify possible points of ingress. Comprehensive sewer line cleaning techniques like hydro-jetting, hydro-steaming, and rooter service can break existing roots down before they cause serious issues.

Every home with sewer service needs a sewer line inspection every 18 to 22 months and professional sewer line cleaning every 12 months. If you’ve had a whole-house backup before or if you’ve had problems with tree root intrusion, you should schedule both of these services every spring.

Built-Up Debris

When the interior of sewer pipes is open and clean, waste and wastewater move swiftly. But when outside temperatures plummet, the movement of waste often slows down. Greasy residues, certain food waste, body oils, and rendered fats are more likely to cool and harden on pipe walls during the coldest months of the year. By the time spring arrives, these buildups have often decreased the interior diameter of sewer pipes.

By cleaning your sewer line in early spring, you can stave off issues like malodorous and slow-moving drains during the warmer months. Clean sewer lines are also less likely to develop stress-related leaks and leach moisture and nutrients into the surrounding soil. Dirty, leaky pipes attract tree and weed roots. They can also attract rodents, cockroaches, and other troublesome pests.

With warmer temperatures, increased tree and weed growth, and increased precipitation, spring can wreak havoc on sewer lines. You can help your plumber find and fix developing issues before they escalate by scheduling sewer line inspection and cleaning services. Call The Plumber AZ for all of your sewer line needs in Mesa, AZ.