Tree roots in your sewer lateral
Gurgling toilets and a slow main drain often mean roots in an older Rosemead sewer lateral.
Updated · 3 min read
In a nutshell
Roots find their way into older clay or cast-iron sewer joints because the line carries warm, wet waste. A cutting head on a drain machine clears them, and a camera look afterward shows whether the pipe itself is damaged.
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How roots get in
A sewer lateral runs from your house to the city main, usually under the front yard. Lines laid in the 1950s were often clay pipe in short sections with joints every few feet.
Fine roots from street trees and yard trees sense moisture at a loose joint, slip inside, and grow into a mat that catches paper and grease.
Warning signs in the house
Roots usually show up as a whole-house problem, not one slow sink.
- The toilet gurgles when the washer drains
- Water rises in the shower when you flush
- Several drains slow down at once
- A wet or sunken spot in the yard over the line
What rooting involves
We open the cleanout and run a drain machine with a cutting head sized to the pipe. The blades shave the root mat and let the line flow again.
After clearing, a sewer camera shows the joints, any cracks, and how far the roots reached. That footage tells you whether rooting alone will do or whether a section needs repair.
Keeping roots out longer
Roots grow back from what is left in the joint, so a line that rooted once is likely to need it again. Many owners put the line on a regular cleaning schedule.
When you plant, keep large trees away from the path of the sewer line between the house and the street.
Rosemead owners ask
Can I use root killer instead of rooting?
Foaming root products can slow regrowth, but they do not clear an existing blockage. Clear the line first and follow the product label.
Who is responsible for the sewer line under my yard?
The lateral from your house to the main is generally the property owner's. Check with the city if you are unsure where your portion ends.
Why does my toilet bubble when the washer drains?
Water pushing past a partial blockage in the main forces air back up through the lowest fixtures, which is often the toilet.