Tree Root Invasion

CALL (206) 789-4944

Serving the Greater Seattle Area

At Bob Oates Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter, we provide comprehensive inspection, cleaning, repair, and replacement services across all of Greater Seattle, as well as serving communities from Tacoma and the Southend to Lynnwood and Everett up north, and Bellevue and the entire Eastside. This includes top-tier sewer pipe repair and maintenance with respect to tree root invasion.

Keeping pipes clear of debris is crucial, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where tree roots can infiltrate and damage sewer lines. Trees and heavy rainfall increase the risk of root intrusion, leading to potential backups if untreated. Our expert team offers year-round rooter, drain cleaning, and sewer line repairs for residential, commercial, and municipal properties to prevent these issues efficiently.

Signs Your Pipes are Invaded with Tree Roots

Seattle and its surrounding communities are filled with beautiful trees, but tree roots can lead to invasive roots on your property. Those roots will naturally try to find sources of moisture and nutrients, which may draw them to your water or sewer line. As they creep into the pipes, the roots will block the flow of water, and can even build up additional debris, leading to potential pipe damage.

Tree roots are highly invasive; their systems can be double the size of the tree they support. You may experience clogs or back-ups in many appliances throughout your home, which can be a tell-tale sign of tree root invasion. Also, root invasion can lead to leaks, particularly noticeable as damp or extra lush areas in your lawn, and may cause an unpleasant smell.

Solutions to Tree Root Invasion

The team at Bob Oates is proud to offer proactive solutions, including sewer camera inspections, that identify exactly where any problems may have formed. Doing so helps us pinpoint how to best tackle tree roots in pipes before they cause any further damage. This process uses a waterproof camera to inspect pipes in real-time, allowing us to locate root invasion efficiently without damaging your property.

Bob Oates Easy Payment & Financing
 

Once tree root invasion has been identified, our skilled technicians will use one of many trenchless methods to break up the roots in your pipe. Hydro jetting uses an extremely high-powered stream of water is used to break up and flush away obstructions. After the materials are washed away, our team will use cured-in-place pipe lining (CIPP) to effortlessly create a brand-new pipe inside of your existing one that seals all cracks and leaks. The clear resin adheres to the lining of your pipes to create a new durable coating within your existing pipe.

If for some reason tree roots cannot be removed with hydro jetting, our team will use a tree root cutter to mechanically remove the tree roots from your pipeline. In the event that tree roots have completely destroyed your pipes, we will use pipe bursting to seamlessly replace your pipe with no excavation necessary.

Pipe bursting requires two access points — one upstream and one downstream. We use hydraulics to pull a metal cone, larger than the existing pipe, through it, dragging a new HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) pipe behind. This method essentially installs a new, high-quality pipe within the old one.

Bob Oates Easy Payment & Financing
 

Get in Touch Today!

Whether sewer pipe lining is done or pipe bursting is required, the entire process is efficient and reduces the impact on your home or business. You will save significant time and money by opting for methods that don’t require digging trenches across your yard, sidewalk, parking spaces, or other features on your property.

The affordable solutions we provide at Bob Oates will last for years to come as well as leave you with satisfying results. Give us call or schedule an appointment online anytime — we’re here for you!

We proudly offer our services to homes and businesses across the region, including the following locations:

Image of Bob Oates on the cover of Cleaner magazine

Name
Which days work best for you? (For emergencies or Saturday service please call us directly.)
What arrival time would you prefer?

Happy customer and holding doggie
five stars favicon

Rated 5 Stars by Johanna G.
via Yelp.com

"Nothing but great experiences with Bob Oates! Would highly recommend for all your sewer and plumbing needs! Honest, hard working company!"

BOMA King County favicon

Proud Member of BOMA

Pipe Issues Seattle Homeowners Shouldn’t Ignore

By Bob Oates | May 12, 2026

A hidden pipe problem can turn into a major sewer repair before most homeowners even realize something is wrong. Slow drains, recurring backups, foul odors, or unexplained wet spots in the yard are often signs that a sewer line is beginning to fail. And in many Seattle-area homes — especially older properties with clay or…

How Spring Can Lead to Sewer Backups

By Bob Oates | May 5, 2026

Spring in Seattle brings its own set of troubles to the sewer system. In the springtime, sewer backups are most common because of the thawing snow and seasonal rain. The ground is usually too frozen to soak up the water from the rainy season. This results in water leaking into the walls and basements of…

Signs of a Sewer Line Belly (And What To Do)

By Bob Oates | May 1, 2026

Every homeowner’s goal is to maintain a comfortable and safe environment. However, unexpected plumbing issues — and a sewer line belly is pretty high on that list — can quickly disrupt that peace. Conducting proper, regular sewer inspections are key to healthy drainage and sewage systems staying that way. They’re also essential, once a problem…

Importance of Sewer Inspections (And Why They Can Save You Thousands)

By Bob Oates | April 29, 2026

Your sewer line is one of the most important — and most overlooked — systems in your home. Because it’s buried underground, problems often go unnoticed until something goes wrong: slow drains, recurring clogs, or even a full sewer backup. By that point, repairs can be expensive, disruptive, and stressful. That’s why regular sewer inspections…

High Pressure Water Jetting in Seattle: Do You Need It?

By Bob Oates | April 28, 2026

Clogged drain and sewer lines don’t usually happen overnight. Most problems build slowly — grease, sludge, soap residue, and debris accumulate along pipe walls until water can no longer flow freely. When basic drain clearing isn’t enough, high-pressure water jetting (also known as hydro jetting) is one of the most effective ways to fully restore…

Side Sewer Contractor: Everything You Need To Know

By Bob Oates | April 27, 2026

Bob Oates Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter is a registered side sewer contractor serving the City of Seattle and all surrounding areas. For 30+ years, we have provided comprehensive, cost-effective sewer repair solutions for our friends and neighbors in the community. In this post, we’ll answer questions about exactly what a side sewer is. And we’ll…

Is Pipe Lining a Long-Term Solution? What Seattle Homeowners Should Know

By Bob Oates | April 24, 2026

If you’re dealing with sewer line issues, you want more than a temporary fix. Trenchless sewer pipe lining is considered a long-term solution when the existing pipe is structurally sound — and in many cases, it can extend the life of your sewer system by 50 years or more. How Pipe Lining Strengthens Your Sewer…

Main Issues We Address With Pipe Lining (Seattle Homeowners Guide)

By Bob Oates | April 22, 2026

Sewer line issues don’t always mean excavation. With trenchless sewer pipe lining, many common pipe problems can be repaired from the inside — avoiding the need to dig up your yard, driveway, or landscaping. At Bob Oates Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter, we use pipe lining to address several of the most frequent sewer issues seen…

How Trenchless Pipe Lining Came To Be (And Why It’s a Go-To Sewer Repair Solution Today)

By Bob Oates | April 13, 2026

Sewer problems are something most homeowners don’t think about — until they’re dealing with a slow drains, backups, or worse. For decades, fixing a damaged sewer line meant one thing: digging. Lawns torn up, driveways broken apart, and days (or weeks) of disruption. Today, there’s a better option. Trenchless sewer repair — including trenchless pipe…

Do I Need a Video Inspection for My Seattle Sewer Line Repair?

By Bob Oates | April 8, 2026

When something goes wrong with your sewer line, the last thing you want is guesswork. Sewer problems happen underground, out of sight — and without the right tools, it’s nearly impossible to know what’s actually causing the issue. That’s where a professional sewer camera inspection comes in. At Bob Oates Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter, we…

CALL (206) 789-4944

Serving the Greater Seattle Area