You often hear it or seen ads about a rooter service. You know it has something to do with your plumbing, but what exactly is involved in a rooter service in Salt Lake City? Read on to find out.
Root Name
The clue is in the term itself: rooter. It is a common problem that you will encounter, hence the need for the service. It is when tree roots invade and block sewer and plumbing lines, and they need to be removed.
Rooter service simply refers to a number of methods that can be used to clean, unclog, and/or repair a drain, sewer line, or pipe.
Root Cause
The history of rooter service is quite interesting but simple. The problem is that tree roots broke into and clogged your underground sewer lines. As necessity is the mother of all inventions, somebody thought of creating the machine that will address this problem. Using a washing machine motor and the wheels of roller skates, the rooter machine moved along a steel cable down the pipes. Along the way, it was clearing those annoying tree roots.
Modern Rooters
That design paved the way for the creation of the much more modern ‘plumber’s snake’. Powered either through hand cranking or by a motor, the plumber’s snake is used to break up and pull up the material that’s clogging the sewer or drainage pipe.
An alternative solution to getting rid of roots is the use of chemicals and hydro-jetting, or they may be used in conjunction with the more traditional rooter technology.
When to Call for a Rooter Service
You notice that water is slowly draining in your kitchen sink and a couple of other drains. Address this soon, as clogged sinks, toilets, bathtub, and shower drains are a clear indicator of something blocking these essential passageways of wastewater. It won’t take long before these blockages aggravate your problems and create a domino-effect of plumbing issues, such as broken pipes, water damage, etc. Hiring an experienced plumber as soon as possible is highly advised.
Drain Clogs
If the clog occurs in one of your drains, the effect will be felt at other nearby drains. Typically, what’s causing these clogs are debris such as hair, soap scum, and food scraps. If the effect of a drainage clog can be felt even when you flush a toilet or use washing machine drainage, it could indicate a larger clog on the entire sewer line.
The worst-case scenario is when the clog is bad enough that wastewater backs up and floods the home. You’ll need to deal with the stench of the cleanup and possible water damage to the flooring or carpeting if the water gets out of the bathroom.
Sewer Clogs
There’s a reason a reminder is posted in public toilets—not to flush paper towels or sanitary napkins down the toilet. Unfortunately, this warning is ignored in many homes. In addition to non-flushable materials finding their way into the sewer pipes, tree roots invading and actually growing in the sewer line present a major problem.
Unclogging your drains and sewer lines is a job for the pros. Not only will they take care of the tree roots; they could also spot corrosion and cracks and clear up debris that might be causing problems in your plumbing system.
