Serving Eugene-Springfield since 1946!

Root Out Drain Line Problems

Sewer snake with a rootball at least 4 feet long!

Spring is definitely here! All over the valley flowers are blooming, birds are singing, fruits and vegetables are being planted, trees and bushes have leafed out and are reaching for the sky! And… their roots are reaching ever deeper into the ground, in search of moisture and nutrients to fuel their growth. The same moisture and nutrients that flow thru our drain and sewer pipes every day.

Now, most of us live in existing structures, with existing landscaping and trees. I will never tell you that you should clear cut your property to protect your drains! Life without trees and nature would be pretty bland. But a little knowledge of how plants grow, of which plants are most likely to produce aggressive, invasive roots, can go a long way towards helping us prevent plumbing and drain line problems in the future. And trust me, you do not want us to pull a 4 foot long rootball like this out of your sewer!

I was pleased to find this article in one of our trade magazines a couple years ago, and I’m delighted to offer it here, to our friends and customers, for your gardening enjoyment and plumbing knowledge.

Plants Over Septic Systems

Email me, let me know what you think!



Useful Sewer and Drain Articles from Petersen Plumbing

  • PLEASE don't flush antibacterial wipes! TL,DR - Experts tell us that we should only put two things down a toilet - human waste (of course) and toilet paper. NOTHING ELSE. Here's a helpful List to print out and post near your toilets.
  • Put a Vent In It! A blocked vent pipe can cause almost as much trouble as a blocked drain! Here's what to look for if your drain starts surging and gurgling.
  • Don't flush that! Out of sight is not out of mind when your drains clog! Some things should never go down your drain! Here's a helpful List of Do's and Don'ts to print out - from Petersen Plumbing.
  • Spring is coming! There are certain plants that you do not want growing over your septic system and sewer pipes.
  • What on earth is Orangeburg Pipe and why should you care?!