A Dry Fall Sends Tree Roots After the Sewer Line

Last week in Battle Creek was about as calm as fall gets. No storms, no hail, no snow, and gusts stayed under about 25 mph all week. Highs ran mostly in the mid-60s, touched about 73 on Wednesday, and dipped to the mid-50s on Friday, with lows between the upper 30s and about 50. The only rain was a light shower Thursday that added up to roughly a twentieth of an inch. That caps a mostly dry October, and a dry fall is hard on something nobody in the house ever sees: the Sewer Line running under the yard to the street.

Trees do not stop drinking when the leaves turn. When the topsoil dries out, their roots go looking for water, and the warm, wet, nutrient-rich line carrying everything from the house is the easiest water in the yard. Older Battle Creek lines made of clay tile or cast iron have joints every few feet, and a root hair finds the smallest gap, grows in, and spreads into a mat that catches paper and grease. It builds quietly for weeks. Then a houseful of guests, a load of laundry, and a few showers on the same morning push more water than the line can pass, and it comes back up through the lowest drain in the house, usually a basement floor drain, shower, or toilet.

Do this today. Watch the basement floor drain and lowest toilet when the washer drains: gurgling, a slow drain, or water rising in the floor drain means the line is partly blocked. Notice whether more than one fixture backs up at the same time, which points to the main line instead of one sink. Look for one patch of lawn over the line that stays greener or softer than the rest. Keep grease, wipes, and paper towels out of every drain, especially with Thanksgiving coming. If water comes up through a floor drain or more than one fixture is slow, stop running water and call A.W. Crooks for Drain Cleaning. We are 24/7 residential plumbing and HVAC in Battle Creek and the surrounding areas, and regular rates apply 8 AM to 5 PM, 7 days a week.

The clocks fell back Sunday, which is a good reminder to look at the Furnace too. A.W. Crooks handles Furnace Tune-Ups and Boiler Tune-Ups when you want a system check. A second opinion on a quote from someone else is free. Book at tctcinc.com/specials.

Building or running commercial or new-construction plumbing, including new sewer and water service, before the ground freezes? That is The Plumbing Company, commercial and new-construction plumbing only, not 24/7.

Darker evenings mean more lights and heaters on one circuit. A breaker that keeps tripping, a warm or buzzing panel, or a plan for a standby generator before winter is The Michigan Electric Company: residential and light commercial electrical, panels and generator electrical connections. One call to (269) 962-5441, or an email to tctc@mitctc.com, reaches all three.