HOW TO DEAL WITH TREE ROOTS IN YOUR SEWER LINES

Don’t cut down that tree. Yet. While it is sure to cause problems on maintenance, tree roots can be dealt with to ensure that your environment isn’t left to disturbed while also putting an end to the issue at hand.

The first step in dealing with the tree root is knowing why it’s there in the first place to prevent it from repeating in the future. Trees naturally seek out nutrient-rich areas in the soil to grow. And if you’ve ever seen an uprooted tree, you’ll know that their roots travel everywhere. That includes, unfortunately, your sewer lines. And when left untreated, the sewer lines are susceptible to excessive tree root growth.

Of course, tree root damage is only possible when roots find a way to get within pipes. As such, ensuring you have sturdy sewer pipes is essential in preventing tree roots from entering pipes they shouldn’t be entering. Whatever process you eventually use to resolve the issue will need to be followed by ensuring that old pipes are replaced by sturdy ones.

HOW TO DETECT TREE ROOTS

If you are dealing with tree roots in your sewer lines, the problem might be hidden in the soil but it is still visible. There are various physical devices that can be used to drill down and search for sewer line damages. Indeed, if you were to call a plumber, they would employ one of those items or even lower a specialized camera to detect sewer line tree intrusion.

MECHANICAL TREE ROOT REMOVAL

One DIY method is implementing the use of a mechanical auger, a mechanical device used to dig deep in a sewer line and clear away pesky roots. While this is a cost-effective method compared to other ones, you will need to consider pairing this with a chemical tree root removal solution as this mechanical option is only temporary. If tree roots got there in the first place, they’ll get there again unless repairs are made. Of course, we’ll explore this later on.

REGULAR TREE ROOT MAINTENANCE

Flushing rock salts down your toilet can aid in tree root removal. It’s important to note, however, that this process carries the risk of killing the tree and other assorted plants in your backyard simply due to the nature of salt; it absorbs nutrients. You will need to do a precarious balancing act if you pursue this option to ensure you resolve the issue at hand without damaging your backyard green life too much. In the case you decide you want to proceed with this process, you will want to flush 2 pounds worth of salt down your toilet in small increments. Afterward, leave your toilet alone to let the salt rub in. If you notice immediate issues with tree roots, this solution is relatively quick but probably not the immediate remedy you’re looking for.

Check your pipes. Tree roots can get stuck where you don’t want them through small cracks and leaks in old, cracked pipes. If you have just dealt with tree root removal, you should expect to see notable tree root damage in your pipes. You can then make the decision to replace or repair them (we’ll touch upon repairs soon). If you are dealing with an old pipe, total replacement might be the option for you. Replacing them with plastic PVC pipes will work and is probably the ideal alternative pipe to use as the material is designed to prevent against future tree root intrusion. One thing to note is that you may need to research proper installation as the material needs to be supported by sand or gravel to protect against damage.

Additionally, you can consider utilizing foaming root killers against root regrowth. This is more of a preventative measure rather than an active one and thus is used primarily for tree root maintenance. Flushing your pipes with different types of tree root foams can get at the problem. Depending on the brand, some foams can prevent tree root growth for upwards of three years.

PIPE REPAIRS

Sealing sturdy pipes is another option to deal with roots in your pipes. Depending on your pipes, cured-in-place, pull-in-place, pipe bursting, or internal pipe coating may be the solution for you. They all have different processes for different types of pipes. And while you can do some preliminary research, these repair decisions will require a professional plumber who can help you decide on the ideal process for your home as it is most likely going to be your local plumber who does the pipe repair.

6 PLUMBING TOOLS YOU NEED IN YOUR PERSONAL TOOLBOX

Even the newest toilets and sinks will require a bit of maintenance every now and then; however, you don’t need to call a plumber every time you may need a small fix. If you’re armed with the 6 plumbing tools below, odds are that you’ll be able to fix a good amount of the smaller issues that come your way. Places like the Home Depot and Lowe’s should carry the below items, with CVS, Walmart Supercenter, and Target carrying smaller things like pliers and plumber’s tape.

1. Cup Plunger

We can’t really create a plumbing tool list if we don’t include this iconic item. And for good reason! This is the type of plunger you see used all the time in media and most likely the type placed in the home. And while it’s the plunger you see most people using for toilets (and while it may certainly do the job for toilets), it’s actually meant more for bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, and tubs. The shape of the ‘cup’ is meant to attach to flat surfaces like those found in the aforementioned sinks and tubs. With that said… if you already have a cup plunger used on your toilet, don’t start using it on your sinks and tubs. For hygienic purposes, separate the toilet plunger and the sink and tub plunger.

2. Toilet Plunger

As its name suggests, this is the ideal plunger for your toilet. Again, we will repeat ourselves… don’t use the same plunger for both toilet and sink as it is highly unhygienic and poses a high risk of cross-contamination.

3. Adjustable Wrench

Next up on the list of essential plumbing tools is the adjustable wrench. Because your plumbing pipes may all be of varying sizes, an adjustable wrench will provide you with the ability to make quick and easy adjustments as deemed necessary. You may have to put in a bit more work to really make the adjustable wrench fit to what you’re trying to fix, but due to its flexibility, it’s simply a must-have.

4. Pipe Wrench

A pipe wrench consists of two jaws, the bottom of which is fixed in position, and the upper is movable. Similarly to the adjustable wrench, the pipe wrench offers you the flexibility of adjusting the height between the jaws. So… a pipe wrench is just an adjustable wrench, right? I mean, sure (not really). If you consider only the technical differences then they sound pretty similar.

But while the adjustable wrench is a wrench that can be used in plumbing and outside of it, the pipe wrench was made for operating on soft pipes, such as copper. Let’s just get down to the basic rundown of the two. Adjustable wrenches are often used to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts. Pipe wrenches, on the other hand, are made specifically to turn metal pipes and fittings. Of the two, the pipe wrench is sturdier and stronger which, depending on how much pressure needs to be exerted on a specific action, should be used over that of the adjustable wrench. Both serve different, yet important purposes and should be included in the essential list of plumbing tools.

5. Pliers

Smaller than all the other items on the plumbing tool list so far, pliers are used for a varying degree of actions: grabbing, twisting, pulling, or simply holding things in place. Depending on the type of action you want to conduct with your pliers (whether it be cutting or adjusting things), you may want to consider slip joint pliers, flat nose pliers, and/or side cutting pliers among many other plier types.

• Slip Joint Plier: Used to adjust nuts or bolts, these are ideal for the smaller nuts and bolts. They deal with the more ‘delicate’ parts of your plumbing needs that your wrenches would most likely destroy.
• Flat Nose Plier: One of the more common pliers around, flat nose pliers are seen as a multipurpose tool for holding and bending wires.
• Side Cutting Pliers: Similar to Flat Nose, the side cutting can be used to cut or grip wires. They are used for electronic work.

6. Plumber’s Tape

Plumber’s tape offers a watertight seal to aid in all jobs pipes-related. When you proceed to purchase a roll, you’ll notice that they come in 3 standard colors: white, yellow, and green.

• White (basic) is the standard color for common piping jobs
• Yellow (double lined) is ideal for gas piping
• Green (triple lined) tape deals with oxygen piping

As they pair with your other plumbing tools, the white tape should be sufficient for all plumbing issues; however, if you notice that your pipes may need a bit more support, going with yellow or green might be ideal for you.

But Remember,

Not all problems can be easily fixed or should be handled by homeowners. Should you feel the need for support, you should contact a professional.

HERE’S YOUR GUIDE TO HVAC MAINTENANCE AND TIPS FOR PET OWNERS

Making the choice to bring a furry critter into your home is both an exciting choice, yet a daunting one. You have to really make sure you’re ready for the responsibilities involved with caring for your pet, both in terms of the time commitment and the financial costs. And when you do eventually make the choice to welcome pets at home, the one thing that you may often overlook is the strain your dog or cat may make on the quality of the air you breathe. Especially if your pet is one that is extra fluffy, simply knowing what you should do for proper HVAC maintenance is essential so that you can enjoy great air quality and potentially save some money.

Proper Pet Care

There will be a bit of pet-proofing that you might need to get into, but a big component that will drastically reduce the amount of strain your pet puts on your air quality will be focusing on proper pet care before focusing on HVAC maintenance as a whole. With that said, let’s talk all things puppies and kittens.

Tend To Your Pet’s Grooming Needs

The frequency of how often you may need to groom your pet will depend somewhat on your pet. If you own a Husky or Golden Retriever type of dog (you know, the type of breed that you hug once and then you’re covered in fur), then you should expect to be grooming your pet as often as you can. It also helps to know more about the breed of pet you have at home (or are thinking of bringing home). Knowing your pet’s needs, you should groom your pet so that shedding is not very noticeable. And if you groom regularly, your family at home, especially anyone with allergies, will notice a difference. Frequent grooming will minimize the time you need to take to clean AC air filters and will reduce air duct clogs.

Tend To Your Pet’s Bathing Needs

Bathe your dog to reduce dirt, grease, and more. Doing so will reduce the odors and allergens that grooming might not be able to tend to. And not only for your HVAC maintenance, simply bathing your pet often (again, depending on the grooming and bathing needs of your pet) supports the health of their skin and fur. Do Fido and yourself a favor. Bathe and groom regularly.

Home and HVAC Maintenance

These HVAC tips and tricks will go over some of the more basic HVAC maintenance activities you should do to ensure your air quality is ideal for when you have pets at home.

Clean Your Home

If you are regularly keeping your pet regularly groomed and bathed, proper home care should be easier for you. And even though you may groom your pet often, your pet is prone to slight shedding. Cleaning the carpet and space around you and mopping the floors can help catch the extraneous fur your pet leaves behind.

Get an Air Purifier

Air purifiers with HEPA filters are a great additional shield of defense against pollutants and other material your pet may leave behind (and let’s be real here, they leave a lot behind). There are a ton of different types of purifies, each with their own level of performance. You may need to do more research on what you want out of an air purifier.

Change the Air Filters

This is probably one of the bigger drivers of HVAC cost in your household. When you have pets at home, your filters will be dealing with everything that is found in a normal household PLUS everything your furry friends will bring in. Eventually, what happens is your HVAC unit demands more money to put in the extra workload but the air is not cooler.

You may also have to change your filters based on the quality of the filter you buy. Just remember: the higher the quality, the less frequently you may need to replace air filters. And just like air purifiers, you should look for HEPA air filters as the gold standard.

Clean And Seal Air Ducts and Air Vents

Another favorite hiding place of pet hair and pollutants, your air ducts and air vents may require that you keep a close eye on the cleanliness and condition of your air ducts and air vents. Especially because particles trapped in the ducts and vents may have a drastic impact on the overall quality of the air you breathe throughout your house, making sure that everything is clean optimizes your air quality for the better. And especially when cleaning your air ducts, make sure to turn off the AC before you get cleaning.

Pet Proofing Your HVAC System

A final general note on proper HVAC maintenance with pets at home: you need to pet-proof your HVAC system. Even though you may have taught Fido that they need to take their bathroom business outside, they may include your outdoor condenser unit to be fair game. This is a concern as you don’t want your pet to ‘mark’ the condenser unit and then see your unit deteriorate. You can prevent this by…

Training Your Pet. When training your pet, make sure to show them what is and what is not fair game. Obviously, your HVAC system should be included in the section ‘Not Fair Game’.

Fence Off Your HVAC system. You could create a DIY fence around your HVAC system so that even if your pet forgets that they’re not allowed to mark their territory on the HVAC system, that they have no way in doing so regardless. We recommend at least a 3 to 4-foot clearance around the unit if you opt for the fence option.