Tree Roots Clogging Your Pipes: The Worst Culprits

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Tree roots are one of the most common and frustrating reasons for people to need to hire a general residential plumbing company. That may come as a surprise to you if you aren’t used to how household plumbing works. But it’s true.

How can a tree branch possibly become so strong that it breaks through the wall of your pipes? Most of the underground piping in London is made of either PVC or copper, and it’s not like either of those are particularly soft. And why bother? Wouldn’t it be easier to just go around the pipe?

What’s the story here?

How Do Trees Cause You To Need Water Line Repair?

The answer to this lies in why the tree would want to break into your water line in the first place.

A tree’s root system can go as far deep into the earth as the tree does into the air. The reason for this is partially to anchor it in place so it doesn’t blow over, but also to draw nutrients out of the ground. Two of the most important nutrients a tree will find in the ground are water and oxygen. The larger a tree’s root system is, the easier time it has finding this stuff.

So if you were a tree, and you were sending your roots underground, where do you think you’d look for a fresh supply of both oxygen and water?

Of course, your water lines. But how does a tree know there’s water in those pipes in the first place?

Most of the time, it doesn’t. Water flows through the pipes and into your sink at home with no knowledge of this from the outside world. It’s entirely contained within the pipes.

Unless you have a crack in your pipe.

Pipe cracks in themselves can cause you problems in erosion, reduced water pressure, and in particularly bad cases, basement flooding. But if a tree is snaking its roots underground and finds that there are pools of water around an area, its roots will go in that direction. And then it will eventually figure out the source of the water – the crack in your pipes – and start pushing its tendrils into the hole.

This clogs your pipes right up, and requires a water line repair to get flowing again.

But even if your pipes don’t have cracks in them, a tree can still find out there’s water in side and break through. If your pipes sweat, for example, it can cause condensation to build up around their edges. A tree may find this and grow its roots out around it. As more and more roots wrap around your pipe, it can cause the pipe to crack in the first place.

Tree roots like water, apparently, and they’ll do whatever they can to get it.

Which Trees Cause You To Need Water Line Replacement?

Any tree can grow its roots into your pipes. This is an unfortunate reality of these beautiful shade-providing friends of ours. And you can’t always control what types of tree roots end up in your backyard – sometimes they’re from the neighbour’s property, or you live in a community situation, like a townhouse or condo.

Most people don’t even consider how their landscaping will affect their plumbing. But it can be incredibly costly to repair.

But if you can control it, you should avoid planting certain types of trees. These trees include:

• Oak
• Fig
• Maple
• Birch
• Sycamore
• Aspen
• Elm

Unfortunately, that list includes most of the nicest trees you can find here in Ontario. But you can plant alternatives instead.

Fruit trees, including apple trees, are often much better for your plumbing. You could also plant some beautiful magnolia trees or wafer ash. Palm trees, too, are great for your plumbing, but good luck planting one of those in Ontario.

”But I Don’t Want To Cut My Trees Down!

Don’t worry! You don’t have to. If you have younger trees, you could always relocate them to another point in your property where it won’t affect your plumbing. But even if they’re old and well-established, you still won’t need to worry.

With some preventative maintenance, you can ensure that your trees and your pipes can live harmoniously together on your property, providing your home with shade and running water for years to come.

Contact London Plumbing today to find out more about what you can to do keep your plumbing running smoothly.

Stuck? Give Us A Call

Once you’ve shut the water off, take a deep breath, and give us a call. Here at London Plumbing, we’re here to help, no matter your plumbing needs.

London Plumbing
Serving London Ontario and the surrounding area
- https://goo.gl/maps/qWKKptSB6Ln

Plumbing Reviews

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Get additional information on residential plumbing at: emergency licensed plumbing company

Should You Replace Your Plumbing Fixtures?

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You know how sometimes when you’re trying to cook a meal and you put too much spice in it, you can cover up that mistake by adding something else?

And then other times you try to sprinkle a bit of salt in but then your teenage son thought it would be HILARIOUS to unscrew the cap so you end up with a pot of tomato sauce with more salt in it than there is in his tears when you tell him he’s grounded for a week, and you have to throw the whole thing out and start over again?

Plumbing is like that.

Sometimes you can repair an old plumbing fixture. There’s nothing really wrong with it other than maybe a small part – in that case, a general residential plumbing repair company can help you.

But other times it’s so messed up that you just need to throw the whole thing out and start fresh.

The only real way to know is to give us a call so we can check out the problem and let you know what to do. But here are some telltale signs.

Cracked Toilet

Toilets are pretty tough. After all, they’re designed to hold the weight of everyone from your super skinny cousin Felicia to your big uncle Al. Really, the porcelain parts of a toilet should last pretty much forever. But if for some reason the porcelain does crack (like if you just broke through the wall you were hiding in so Trinity and Neo can get away, and you just got the hell beaten out of you by Agent Smith) there’s nothing you can do.

How did you crack the porcelain anyway?

Never mind, I probably don’t want to know.

But if it’s cracked then you need to replace your toilet.

Broken Flushing Mechanism

Every toilet has a flushing mechanism built into it (shocking I know). This mechanism has a lot of moving parts and it’s not easy to replace these individually. Basically when your flushing mechanism breaks you need to replace the whole thing.

Not the whole toilet (not usually) but the flushing mechanism. If it’s broken, it might run all the time which wastes a lot of water. That’s bad for the environment and bad for your water bill!

Upgrading

I once saw someone who tried to paint their toilet. And I guess that’s… kind of cool if that’s what you’re going for. But it only works if you want to do some crazy design on it. If you paint it a solid colour it’s going to look horrible. Trust me.

If you’re remodeling and your toilet no longer fits with your washroom, go ahead and replace it. Don’t paint it.

Some people might think it’s wasteful to replace a toilet. Sometimes it is. But sometimes you can replace your toilet with a better model that uses less water, which actually makes it less wasteful.

What About Faucets?

Most leaky faucets are pretty easy to repair. Swap out a broken part for a new one, Bob’s your uncle. But most people like to replace their broken faucets since they’re not very expensive, and if one piece broke on your faucet chances are more parts are going to go soon.

Other people just don’t like their faucet anymore. They think it’s ugly, or it doesn’t fit with their new kitchen or washroom. In that case, go ahead and replace it.

Need Help Replacing Your Fixtures?

If you’re planning on replacing your plumbing fixtures, we can help. Give us a shout here at London Plumbing.

Stuck? Give Us A Call

Once you’ve shut the water off, take a deep breath, and give us a call. Here at the London Ontario Plumbing Company, we’re happy to help, no matter your plumbing needs.

London Plumbing
Serving London Ontario and the surrounding area |
https://goo.gl/maps/qWKKptSB6Ln

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How To Keep Your Drains Clear

Okay, so we clear drains. That’s our job.

Our goal at London Plumbing is to be the best residential london plumbing repair company in the city, so if you’ve got a clogged drain we’re here to help. We’ve got your back.

But wouldn’t you rather just not have a clogged drain?

I know you love seeing our handsome faces showing up to your door, but you’ll save yourself some stress and headache (and money!) if you just know how to keep your drain unclogged in the first place. So that’s why we put together this little blog article for you.

First Of All, What Clogs Drains?

There are tons of things that clog drains. Often it comes down to knowing what you should and shouldn’t flush.

If you’re planning on flushing something down the toilet, ask yourself these four questions:

- Is it water, or a water-based liquid (eg. not oil)?
- Is it pee?
- Is it poop?
- Is it toilet paper?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, go ahead and flush it. If not, don’t!

Yeah, I know that box of cat litter says it’s flushable. Yeah, I know that baby wipe seems like it’s the same thing as toilet paper. But it’s not.

In fact, some of the biggest causes of clogged drains are cat litter, baby wipes, and feminine hygiene products. If you can just not flush these things, you’ll be way ahead of everyone else who does. And, y’know, your drain is less likely to be clogged.

But it’s not just this stuff that causes clogs. Sometimes, you can do everything right and still get a clogged drain. Some of these causes include:

- Tree roots growing through your pipes
- Ground shifting your pipes out of sync with each other
- A clog in your main sewer line

When this happens, what do you do?

Call us!

How To Keep Your Drains Clear

It’s pretty simple, really. Follow these tips and you can avoid having clogged drains. But all it boils down to is, don’t put stuff down the drain!

- Don’t flush stuff down the toilet that shouldn’t be there. This includes feminine hygiene products, dental floss, cat litter, baby wipes, and more.
- Don’t rinse stuff down the kitchen sink that shouldn’t be there. Food, coffee grinds, rice grains, whatever. Don’t stick it down the drain.
- Don’t rinse stuff down the bathtub drain that shouldn’t be there. This is mostly hair, which sticks together with soap scum and can cause a nasty paste that clogs things up wickedly.
- Don’t rinse stuff down the bathroom sink that shouldn’t be there. That’s mainly hair too, but all the above things still count. Yeah, don't rinse cat litter or condoms down the bathroom sink either!

Just keep your drains clear of stuff that isn’t water or human waste, and you’ll be good (mostly).

Stuck? Give Us A Call

Once you’ve shut the water off, take a deep breath, and give us a call. Here at the London Ontario Plumbing Company, we’re happy to help, no matter your plumbing needs.

London Plumbing
Serving London Ontario and the surrounding area |
https://goo.gl/maps/qWKKptSB6Ln

Discover some extra tips about residential plumbing at: emergency licensed plumber

How To Find The Emergency Shut Off Valve

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It’s the worst case scenario, plumbing-wise. Your faucet, your toilet, your bathtub – something has spring a major leak. Water is spraying everywhere, and you’re worried it will cause thousands of dollars in damage.

What do you do?

You should call your local plumber, of course, but what about the leaking water? Your plumber will arrive as soon as they can, but in the meantime you still have a big wet problem on your hands. But first…

Turn Off The Emergency Shutoff Valve

Before you spend a ton of cash calling a 24 hour emergency licensed plumbing contractor, though, here’s how you can save your home from damage and save some money while you’re at it.

The first thing you should do – even before calling a plumber – is to shut off the water to your house. This stops the flow of water to all the pipes in your home. This won’t fix the problem right away, but it will at least prevent it from further damaging your home.

But of course, you need to know where to find it first.

How To Find The Emergency Shut Off Valve

Every home has an emergency plumbing shut off valve, and in times where you have a plumbing emergency you’ll be glad it’s there! Most of the time you’ll find it near the water meter in your home.

That begs another question though – where is your water meter?

You’ll usually find it attached to the side of your home, but it can sometimes be buried as well. In these cases, you can find a small hatch on your property similar to a sewer cap. It might be marked “water”.

If you can’t turn it by hand, you’ll need to use either a pipe wrench or a water key – a special plumbing wrench. Grab one from a hardware store before the emergency happens so you’re prepared.

If you can’t find your shut off valve, give us a call.

Individual Plumbing Fixture Shut Off Valves

While your entire house has its own dedicated shut off valve, you also have individual shut off valves attached to each fixture as well. These are usually located in an inconspicuous spot – behind your toilet, or under your sink. Take some time to locate these valves – they’re usually almond-shaped – in case of an emergency later. You’ll be glad you did!

Try shutting them off too – if they’re stuck now, add some lubricant to make them run smoothly. I guarantee this will be a less stressful process than trying to lubricate a stuck valve as your basement fills up with water!

Stuck? Give Us A Call

Once you’ve shut the water off, take a deep breath, and give us a call. Here at the London Ontario Plumbing Company, we’re happy to help, no matter your plumbing needs.

London Plumbing |
Serving London Ontario and the surrounding area |
https://goo.gl/maps/qWKKptSB6Ln

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Find more concepts on residential plumbing at: best 24 hour licensed plumber

4 Things To Consider Before Hiring A Plumber

So you’ve got a plumbing issue that needs solving. Installing new fixtures, removing old ones, clearing drains, or a 24 hour emergency plumbing contractor to stop that water volcano from spraying all over the place and ruining that Picasso painting you just paid $100,000 for at an auction last week because you just won the lottery – it doesn’t matter. You need a plumber’s help.

What do you do? You could just search Google and come up with the first place you can find. That might work for you. But how do you know that plumber is legit? How do you tell the difference between that guy and the next one?

Here are a few questions you should ask any plumber before you hire them.

What Are Your Certifications?

Did you know you need a licence to be a plumber? It’s illegal for someone to say they’re certified when they’re not.

If you’re in Ontario, you can use the Ontario College of Trades website to confirm whether someone actually has the certifications they claim to.

There’s nothing wrong with asking for credentials. Any plumber who actually has the credentials they need shouldn’t be upset if you ask. If they object, that’s a big red flag.

Do You Have Reviews?

It’s 2017, people. Everyone gets everything on the internet, and everyone posts everything on the internet. If you do a good job for enough people, sooner or later someone is going to hit Google or Yelp or Facebook to talk about it.

Same goes for if you screw up. Now, if someone has 50 positive reviews and one or two negative ones, then whatever. That happens. You can’t always please everyone. But if they have 50 negative reviews and one or two positive ones, you might want to rethink what you’re doing.

What’s Your Estimate?

No one should be giving estimates over the phone, especially for complicated jobs.

Just a clogged drain may be one thing, but what if your plumber gets there and finds out the drain is clogged because of a tree root, or a buildup of clay, or your pipes have shifted altogether? There’s so much that’s unseen at first and you can’t know until you actually take a look.

Don’t trust someone who just hears about the job over the phone and gives you an estimate. It’s probably going to be wrong, and you’ll end up paying for it.

How Do You Communicate?

You can’t really ask a plumber this question, but you should consider it yourself anyway.

Communication is related to reliability. Do they actually show up when they say they’re going to show up? And if they don’t, do they at least give you notice and a valid reason?

And how do they respond to your questions when you talk to them? Are they open, patient, and understanding? Or do they dismiss your concerns in a gruff, grumpy manner?

When they answer your questions, do they sound confident that they know what they’re talking about? Or do they sound like they’re just making it up as they go along?

If it’s the latter, you might want to take a look at that registry…

Contact London Plumbing

When it comes to plumbing, we know our stuff. We strive to be the best plumbing company in London Ontario, and if you work with us you’ll see why.

Give us a call for all your plumbing needs.

Get more concepts on fixing up your home at: emergency plumbing contractor

How To Find The Emergency Shut Off Valve

It’s the worst case scenario, plumbing-wise. Your faucet, your toilet, your bathtub – something has spring a major leak. Water is spraying everywhere, and you’re worried it will cause thousands of dollars in damage.

What do you do?

You should call your local plumber, of course, but what about the leaking water? Your plumber will arrive as soon as they can, but in the meantime you still have a big wet problem on your hands.

The first thing you should do – even before calling a plumber – is to shut off the water to your house. This stops the flow of water to all the pipes in your home. This won’t fix the problem right away, but it will at least prevent it from further damaging your home.

But of course, you need to know where to find it first.

How To Find The Emergency Shut Off Valve

Every home has an emergency plumbing shut off valve, and in times where you have a plumbing emergency you’ll be glad it’s there! Most of the time you’ll find it near the water meter in your home. That begs another question though – where is your water meter? You’ll usually find it attached to the side of your home, but it can sometimes be buried as well. In these cases, you can find a small hatch on your property similar to a sewer cap. It might be marked “water”. If you can’t turn it by hand, you’ll need to use either a pipe wrench or a water key – a special plumbing wrench. Grab one from a hardware store before the emergency happens so you’re prepared. If you can’t find your shut off valve, give us a call.

Individual Plumbing Fixture Shut Off Valves

While your entire house has its own dedicated shut off valve, you also have individual shut off valves attached to each fixture as well. These are usually located in an inconspicuous spot – behind your toilet, or under your sink. Take some time to locate these valves – they’re usually almond-shaped – in case of an emergency later. You’ll be glad you did! Try shutting them off too – if they’re stuck now, add some lubricant to make them run smoothly. I guarantee this will be a less stressful process than trying to lubricate a stuck valve as your basement fills up with water!

Stuck? Give Us A Call

Once you’ve shut the water off, take a deep breath, and give us a call. Here at the London Ontario Plumbing Company, we’re happy to help, no matter your plumbing needs.