How Can I Tell If Roots Are in My Sewer Line?

How Can I Tell If Roots Are in My Sewer Line?

If you’re asking this question, you’re probably already dealing with something frustrating.

Maybe:

• Your drains keep backing up

• Your basement floor drain gurgles

• Your toilet bubbles when the shower runs

• Or worse… sewage has already come up onto the floor

Here’s the truth most homeowners don’t realize until it’s too late:

Tree roots are one of the most common — and most destructive — causes of sewer line failure.

And the scary part?

They can be invading your sewer line for years before you ever see a backup.

Let’s walk through exactly how to tell if roots are in your sewer line, what signs to watch for, and what actually fixes the problem (not just temporarily).

Why Tree Roots Love Sewer Lines

Sewer pipes are basically underground watering systems for tree roots.

Roots are naturally drawn to:

• Warmth

• Moisture

• Nutrients

Even a hairline crack in a sewer pipe releases vapor that roots can sense from feet away.

Once they find it, they grow toward it — and they never stop growing.

This is especially common in homes with:

• Older clay (terra cotta) pipes

• Cast iron sewer lines

• Homes built before the 1980s

• Large trees in the yard or near the street

The Most Common Signs Roots Are in Your Sewer Line

1. Slow Drains Throughout the House

If one drain is slow, it’s usually a localized clog.

But if:

• Multiple drains are slow

• Toilets flush sluggishly

• Water backs up in the tub or floor drain

That’s a red flag that the blockage is deep in the main sewer line — exactly where roots invade.

2. Frequent Sewer Backups (That Keep Coming Back)

This is the big one.

If you’ve had your sewer:

• Snaked

• Augered

• Cleared temporarily

…but the problem keeps returning, roots are a very likely culprit.

Why?

Because snaking cuts through roots, but it doesn’t remove them.

They grow right back — often thicker and faster.

3. Gurgling Sounds from Toilets or Drains

That bubbling or gurgling noise isn’t just annoying — it’s air being displaced by trapped water.

Roots create:

• Partial blockages

• Turbulence in the pipe

• Pressure changes

If your toilet gurgles when another fixture drains, your sewer line is struggling to breathe.

4. Sewage Smells Inside or Outside Your Home

Roots can cause:

• Standing waste in the pipe

• Cracks to widen

• Sewage gas to escape

If you notice:

• Rotten egg smells

• Sewer odor in the basement

• Smells outside near cleanouts or yard

That’s often a sign of damage caused by roots, not just a clog.

5. Wet or Sunken Areas in the Yard

Roots don’t just block sewer lines — they break them.

When a pipe cracks:

• Wastewater leaks into the soil

• The ground can settle or stay wet

• Grass may look unusually green in one area

This often happens between the house and the street — where homeowners never think to look.

Can I See Roots Without Digging?

Yes — and this is critical.

Sewer Camera Inspection (The Only Real Way to Know)

A sewer camera inspection is the only definitive way to confirm roots in your sewer line.

A professional camera allows you to see:

• Roots penetrating the pipe

• Cracked or separated joints

• Collapsed or offset sections

• How severe the damage actually is

Without a camera, everything else is guesswork.

If someone tells you “it’s probably roots” without showing you footage — that’s a problem.