Tree roots in your sewer line

Roots get into sewer pipes at joints and cracks, then fill the pipe from inside. If the same clog keeps coming back every few months, roots are a likely cause.

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Homes and properties in the City of Folsom, CA (ZIP 95630). For owners, landlords and property managers.

You’ll be asked for your address, which drains are affected, and whether water is coming back up.

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How roots get in

A sewer lateral is warm, wet and full of nutrients, and roots look for exactly that. A hairline gap at a joint lets out a little moisture, and fine roots follow it in. Inside the pipe they branch into a mat that catches paper and grease, and the line slows, then stops.

Older laterals have more joints and more ways in. But any pipe with a gap near a thirsty tree is at risk, including those under the established Folsom neighborhoods built from the 1980s onward.

Signs it’s roots

The main line clogs again weeks or months after being cleared.
The plumber’s cable comes back with fine, stringy roots on it.
Drains are slow throughout the house, and toilets gurgle.
A large tree sits between the house and the street.

The options

Cut them out

A sewer cable with a root-cutting head clears the pipe quickly. It also leaves the entry point open, so expect regrowth.

Jet the line

Hydro jetting with a root-cutting nozzle scours the pipe wall more thoroughly. It suits sound pipe and isn’t a fix for a cracked one.

See it first

A camera inspection shows where roots enter, how many joints are affected, and whether the pipe is cracked, offset or collapsing. Get one before paying for anything bigger than a cleaning.

Fix the pipe

A spot repair, a pipe liner or a replacement lateral closes the way in for good. Folsom’s code counts lining the full length of a lateral as a replacement. Repairs may need City permits.

Folsom’s oaks: check before anyone digs

Folsom’s tree preservation ordinance (Municipal Code chapter 12.16) protects native oaks, namely coast live oak, blue oak, valley oak and interior live oak, along with street trees, parking-lot shade trees and designated landmark trees. A permit is needed to remove a protected tree. The City’s arborist FAQ notes a permit is also likely for work, such as trenching, that could damage roots or soil within a protected tree’s critical root zone.

If the camera shows roots from a protected oak, raise it with the plumber before anything is dug. Trenchless repairs such as lining, which work from the cleanout and need little or no trench, are one way to avoid the root zone. Confirm the permit question with the City first.

Questions about roots

Why does my drain clog again a few months after it was cleared?

A cable cuts a path through a root mass, but the roots are still growing from the joint they came in through. As they grow back, they catch paper again and the line closes. Repeat clogs on a schedule are one of the most common signs of roots.

Can I cut down the tree to stop the roots?

Check first. Folsom protects native oaks (coast live, blue, valley and interior live oak) and street trees, and removing a protected tree requires a permit under Municipal Code chapter 12.16. Removing a tree also doesn’t take the roots already in the pipe out.

Who pays if roots are in the part of the pipe under the street?

Folsom’s code makes the owner responsible for keeping the upper lateral, house to the cleanout near the property line, free of roots. Beyond that point, the lower lateral and the main are the City’s to maintain when the City owns the main. A camera inspection with distances from the cleanout shows which side the roots are on.

Last verified: October 30, 2026. City rules change; check the official source before relying on a detail.

Same clog again? Get the line looked at.

You’ll be connected with an independent local plumbing company. Have your address ready, and say which drains are affected and whether anything is backing up. It helps the plumber bring the right equipment.