Tree roots do not only find sewer laterals. They also work into storm drain pipes, catch debris, and leave yard water with nowhere to go. On this San Gabriel Valley job, Drain Doctor repaired a storm drain line that roots had damaged and set a new pipe in the trench.
A clog you can clear from a cleanout is not the same as a pipe roots have already broken. We look at the line first, then clear it or repair the damaged section. See drain clearing and rooter service for how that decision starts, and camera inspection when you need to see the damage before approving a dig.
What the video shows
The trench follows the storm line through the yard. The damaged pipe comes out, and the new line is laid in so runoff has a path away from the house again.
Roots in a sewer lateral are a different pipe, even when the yard looks the same from above. That work is on our sewer line repair page. This project is the storm side: moving rainwater, not household waste. When grease or scale is the problem instead of a broken pipe, hydro jetting is the cleaning step after the camera says the line can take it.
What root damage changes
- Clearing alone comes back if the pipe is cracked or offset where roots entered
- Standing water and overflow at the drain get worse after rain
- A repaired section restores the path; leaves and debris still need ordinary maintenance
We have served Covina, West Covina, Walnut, Glendora, and the wider San Gabriel Valley since 1996. Browse our work, see where we dispatch, or contact us to talk about a storm line. Call (626) 332-9984 for same-day service when scheduling allows.