Tree Root Intrusion in Colorado Springs Sewer Lines: What It Is and What to Do

If your drains have been running slow since spring and a good snaking only fixes it for a few weeks, roots are worth suspecting. Colorado Springs has an older tree canopy than most people realize — cottonwoods, elms, and Siberian elms planted along streets and property lines in the 1950s through 1970s now have root systems that stretch 20 to 30 feet from the trunk. Underground sewer lines, which carry both moisture and warmth, are exactly the kind of target those roots seek out over decades.

Root intrusion in a sewer line doesn’t usually announce itself as an emergency. It starts quietly, builds slowly, and tends to become a real problem at the worst possible time. Knowing what to look for early — and understanding what your options are once roots are confirmed — can save a significant repair bill and a lot of inconvenience.

How Tree Roots Get Into a Sewer Line

Roots don’t punch through solid pipe — they find the gaps that are already there. In a sewer line that’s been in the ground for 40 or 50 years, those gaps are common. Clay pipe joints shift over time as soil moves. Cast iron corrodes and develops small cracks. Even PVC, which holds up better than older materials, can develop hairline fractures at joints if the ground around it has settled unevenly.

Once roots find a gap, they grow toward the moisture and nutrients inside the pipe. A small thread of root becomes a larger root mass, which traps debris, narrows the line, and eventually causes blockages. Colorado’s expansive clay soil accelerates the problem — the same soil movement that cracks foundations also stresses underground pipes, creating new entry points over time.

According to the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO), root intrusion is one of the leading causes of sewer line failure in residential systems, particularly in homes built before 1980.

Warning Signs That Roots May Be in Your Sewer Line

The symptoms of root intrusion tend to follow a pattern. A single slow drain in one fixture is usually a localized clog — a buildup of grease, hair, or soap closer to the surface. When the problem is in the main sewer line, multiple fixtures are affected at once.

Signs that point toward root intrusion specifically:

  • Drains in different parts of the house run slow at the same time
  • Toilets gurgle after you run the washing machine or dishwasher
  • Sewage odors come up through floor drains, especially in the basement
  • A drain that backs up, clears after snaking, and then backs up again within a few weeks
  • Patches of unusually green or fast-growing grass in the yard above the sewer line

That last one is worth paying attention to. Roots that have opened a crack wide enough to let wastewater seep out will often create a strip of noticeably healthier grass directly above the pipe run, even in a dry Colorado summer.

tree roots in sewer line

What Does a Sewer Camera Inspection Show?

A sewer camera inspection is the only way to know for certain that roots are the problem and how far into the line they’ve gone. The camera runs through the line from the cleanout and records video footage of the pipe interior from start to finish.

What the camera shows: the condition of the pipe walls, the location and density of any root mass, whether joints have shifted or cracked, and whether there is any section of pipe that has partially collapsed or bellied underground. That information determines which repair method makes sense — and prevents paying for a repair that won’t actually fix the problem.

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) recommends sewer scope inspections for any home over 20 years old as a standard part of the purchase process, precisely because root intrusion in older lines is so common and so frequently missed by visual inspection alone.

What Are Your Options Once Roots Are Found?

The right repair depends on how much root intrusion is present and what condition the pipe is in overall.

Hydro jetting clears the line using high-pressure water. It cuts through root mass, flushes debris, and cleans the pipe walls. For a line with root intrusion but no structural damage, hydro jetting restores flow and buys time. It doesn’t seal the entry point, though — roots can return through the same crack, which is why hydro jetting alone is often a temporary fix in older clay or cast iron lines.

Trenchless pipe lining goes further. Once the line is cleaned, a resin-impregnated liner is installed inside the damaged pipe and cured in place, forming a new seamless inner pipe. The liner seals existing cracks and joint gaps, removing the entry points roots were using. It’s the right call when the pipe has root damage but is still structurally present enough to support a liner. At Dan’s Drains and Digs, we use LED Blue-light curing technology for pipe lining, which sets the liner in 60 to 90 minutes and produces a result rated for a 50-year service life. More on how that process works on our trenchless pipe repair page.

Excavation and replacement is necessary when the pipe has collapsed, severely bellied, or deteriorated to the point where a liner has nothing to bond to. For a section of original clay pipe in a neighborhood like Patty Jewett or the Old North End that’s been in the ground since 1958, full replacement is sometimes the honest answer.

A camera inspection tells you which of these applies before any work starts. That’s the starting point for any sewer repair in Colorado Springs — not an estimate built on symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Root Intrusion in Sewer Lines

Yes. Hydro jetting clears the root mass but doesn’t seal the crack or joint gap the roots entered through. In a pipe with open entry points, roots can begin re-entering within months, particularly during active growing seasons in spring and summer. Pipe lining after hydro jetting removes the entry points and significantly reduces the chance of re-intrusion.

If only one fixture — a single sink or toilet — is backing up, the problem is likely in a branch line closer to that fixture. When multiple fixtures in different parts of the house back up or drain slowly at the same time, the main sewer line is almost always involved. A camera inspection confirms the location.

\Cottonwoods and Siberian elms are the most common offenders in Colorado Springs because of their aggressive, moisture-seeking root systems and their prevalence in older established neighborhoods. Willows and poplars present similar risks. According to Colorado State University Extension, cottonwood and elm root systems routinely extend two to three times the height of the tree in all directions, making any sewer line within 30 feet a realistic target. Trees planted within 20 feet of a sewer line are worth monitoring regardless of species.

Most standard homeowners policies in Colorado exclude damage to sewer lines caused by root intrusion, tree growth, or gradual deterioration. Some policies offer sewer line endorsements or riders that provide partial coverage — worth checking before assuming the repair is fully out of pocket. Financing options are available through Dan’s Drains and Digs for sewer and water line repairs.

Most residential pipe lining jobs are completed in a single day. The process includes a camera inspection, hydro jetting to clear the line, liner installation, and a final camera check after curing. Curing with LED Blue-light technology takes 60 to 90 minutes. For longer runs or larger-diameter commercial pipe, a second day may be needed.

Root intrusion is one of those problems that rewards catching early. A camera inspection and a hydro jet while roots are still manageable is a very different conversation than a collapsed clay pipe under a driveway that’s been quietly failing for a decade. If your drains are giving you signs — slow, gurgling, recurring backups — it’s worth getting eyes on the line before the problem decides the timeline for you.

Dan’s Drains and Digs serves Colorado Springs, Broadmoor, Briargate, Falcon, Fountain, Monument, and the surrounding communities. If you want to know what’s in your sewer line, give us a call at (719) 375-8181 or request an inspection online. We run the camera first, show you what’s there, and give you straight options before any repair work starts.