Trees are beautiful, but their roots can cause huge hassles for homeowners. According to the professional plumbers and HVAC specialists at Steve’s Plumbing and Heating, a plumber with multiple locations throughout Wisconsin, there are a few possibilities when it comes to handling tree roots that are encroaching on your sewer lines.

Here are the top four options for tree root removal:

• Cut: An auger with a rotating cutting head can be fed down the pipes to chop up roots. While it cuts up the root, bits may remain in the pipe. More importantly, this doesn’t kill the root itself, meaning further growth will bring new roots right back into your pipe again. This is only step one—with this method, further steps are needed to kill the roots themselves. 
• Dig: Digging up roots in necessary when the damage is already severe. In addition to clearing out the roots, the sewer line itself often needs to be replaced. If this method is necessary, it can usually be determined with the use of a special camera, which can be fed down the sewer line to investigate problems. This is an expensive endeavor, so get a repair quote in writing if your plumber recommends this option.
• Chemicals: Chemicals, such as copper sulfate, can flush through your sewer line to kill roots, so they don’t grow back.
• Salt: A couple of pounds of salt flushed through the system can poison and dry out roots. Use caution, however — too much salt can kill the tree and nearby plants.

Wisconsin residents need to be extra vigilant in the fall and winter when tree growth is more focused in the roots. Therefore, if you haven’t had your roots checked in a while, now would be a great time to call Steve’s Plumbing and Heating. They guarantee you’ll pay what they quote and not a cent more. Call them at (715) 421-1800 to learn more about their pricing guarantee, or visit the website to explore the full range of plumbing, HVAC, and emergency repair services available.