Root intrusion removal with long-term prevention options. The $19 consultation is credited to your repair.
Tree root intrusion is one of the most common causes of sewer line failures, particularly in older Denver-metro homes with clay tile, cast iron, or Orangeburg sewer laterals. Roots seek water and enter sewer lines through existing cracks, loose joints, or small gaps at pipe couplings.
Root intrusion typically presents with characteristic symptoms: slow drains across multiple fixtures, gurgling toilets, occasional main-line backups that clear and recur, and worsening symptoms in spring when root growth is most active.
Root intrusion removal generally combines two approaches. First, a cable machine with a root-cutting head physically cuts the roots out of the line. Second, hydro jetting scours the pipe walls and flushes the cut root debris through to the city connection. Camera inspection before and after documents the work.
Removal alone is a temporary solution. Without addressing the underlying entry point, the roots will regrow. Long-term options include spot repair or CIPP lining at the specific entry point, full trenchless replacement with HDPE pipe (which has no joints for roots to enter), or a chemical maintenance program.
July 2026 — root season peak in Lakewood: Lakewood's blue spruce and cottonwood trees — particularly dense in Green Mountain, Belmar, and Lakewood Heights — are at maximum root growth activity in July. The clay-heavy soils in Jefferson County retain summer irrigation moisture and allow roots to travel further laterally than in drier months, increasing the reach toward sewer joints. For Lakewood homes built in the 1950s-70s with clay or cast-iron laterals, a July camera inspection and root removal addresses the full summer root mass before it widens entry points further — and before Denver's late-summer thunderstorm season adds flow stress to a partially-blocked line.
If you're experiencing any of these in your Lakewood home, contact us to schedule a $19 camera-first consultation.
A typical root intrusion removal job follows these steps.
Root intrusion removal pricing depends on the severity, line condition, and chosen long-term solution. Cable + jet clearing addresses the immediate symptom; permanent fixes (spot repair, lining, or replacement) address the root entry point. Quotes are provided after the camera inspection. The $19 consultation is credited toward the work.
We work with homeowners across the Lakewood, CO area, including these neighborhoods:
Roots enter through existing cracks, loose joints, or the small gaps at pipe couplings. Sewer lines leak warm, nutrient-rich water, which attracts root growth. Once a small root finds an entry point, it slowly widens the gap, and the root mass grows. Older clay, cast iron, and Orangeburg pipes are more vulnerable because their materials and joints degrade over time.
Cutting removes the current root mass, but if the entry point is still intact, the roots will regrow. For a permanent solution, the entry point must be addressed — either by sealing the specific section (spot repair or CIPP liner) or by replacing the line. Periodic maintenance jetting is also an option for buying time.
Chemical root killers (foaming root killer, copper sulfate) are a maintenance tool that can dieback roots inside the pipe temporarily. They are not a substitute for physical cutting if the line is already blocked, and they don't stop new root growth. They can be useful as part of an ongoing maintenance schedule.
In the Denver metro area, the trees most associated with sewer root intrusion are cottonwoods, willows, elms, poplars, and silver maples. These species have aggressive water-seeking root systems that can extend significant distances from the trunk. Trees within 20-30 feet of a sewer line path are most likely to cause issues.
Lakewood clay pipe laterals — common in Green Mountain, Belmar, and Lakewood Heights homes built in the 1950s-70s — have natural joint gaps that widen slightly over decades. In July, blue spruce and cottonwood root systems are drawing peak water and probing those gaps most aggressively. Jefferson County's clay soil retains summer irrigation moisture, which allows roots to extend further and faster than in dry conditions. A joint that had a minor root thread in spring will have a larger mass by July, and the more the mass grows, the more difficult and expensive the removal. Scheduling removal in July before fall dormancy slows regrowth resets the line for the rest of the year.
Blue spruce roots in Lakewood are among the most persistent in the metro area. Unlike cottonwood or elm, blue spruce roots are denser and slower-growing but very persistent. The long-term solution for a Lakewood home with confirmed blue spruce root intrusion is to seal or replace the entry point — either CIPP lining of the affected section or full trenchless replacement with HDPE pipe that has no joints for roots to enter. Cable cutting and hydro jetting alone will need to be repeated every 1-3 years without addressing the entry point.
We serve the entire Denver metro area. If you're near Lakewood, we probably cover you too:
Book a $19 camera-first consultation and we'll diagnose the exact problem before quoting any repair. The $19 is credited to your job if you move forward.