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Serving Clive
Tree roots or repeat clogs in your sewer? A drain camera inspection in Clive shows the cause on video, and we explain options before work starts.
By Jarod Smith, Owner, Clog Busters. 26 years in plumbing and drain cleaning. Updated October 2026.
Slow drains in a Clive home with big trees out front usually lead to one question: are roots in the sewer line? At Clog Busters Drain Cleaning & Repair, a drain camera inspection in Clive answers that on video, in real time, while you watch. Book service online and we will bring the camera to you.
We use the footage to decide what the line needs, from a simple cleaning to a section repair. Nothing gets recommended until you have seen the problem yourself.
Root intrusion checks. Roots show up on video as hair thin strands or thick mats hanging from a joint. We note how many joints are affected and how far each one is from the cleanout.
Main line video after a backup. When a basement drain overflows, the camera tells us whether the blockage is roots, grease, a foreign object or a broken pipe. Each cause calls for a different fix.
Before and after cleaning footage. We film the line, clear it, then film it again. You see the buildup that was there and the open pipe that is left.
Pipe material identification. Older laterals can be clay tile, cast iron or plastic, and some mix all three. The camera shows the material at each section, which shapes every repair option.
Joint and crack assessment. We look for offset joints, cracks and gaps where water and roots get in. A small gap today often becomes a root mass in a few seasons.
Maintenance planning. For lines that will keep attracting roots, we use the video to suggest a cleaning schedule that fits the pipe and the trees around it.
We at Clog Busters run the camera before we quote a repair, so the plan is built on what is inside your pipe.
Clive is known for its shade. Neighborhoods along Walnut Creek and the Greenbelt Trail have trees that have been growing for decades, and their roots spread far past the drip line.
A sewer lateral is a tempting target. Warm, moist air leaks out of tiny gaps at pipe joints, and fine roots grow toward it. Once a root slips through a joint, it feeds on the water and nutrients inside and thickens year after year.
Research summarized by the USDA Forest Service on tree root intrusion in sewer systems reports that roots are reported to cause more than 50 percent of all sewer blockages. The same review lists the risk factors: old pipes with joints, shallow pipes, small diameter pipes and fast growing tree species. A residential lateral checks several of those boxes at once.
The review also notes that root removal can cost about one sixth of what pipe replacement costs. That is why diagnosis matters.
A camera shows whether roots are entering at one joint or at many, and whether the pipe around them is still sound. If the pipe is intact, cleaning and scheduled maintenance may be enough. If roots have cracked or shifted the pipe, we show you the damage and talk through a section repair.
Carmen Solis had a sewer line choked with buildup. Javier cleared it with a hydro jetter and ran the camera on both ends of the job so she could compare the pipe for herself.
“Javier came out and hydro jetted my sewer line because it had a lot of buildup. He showed me the camera before and after, and the difference was amazing. Everything is draining great now. I highly recommend Javier and Clogbusters!”
That before and after footage is how we show a job is done. You do not have to take our word for it.
Connie Lendt had Javier out to look into problems in her plumbing. Rather than describe them, he pulled up the camera footage and walked her through it. The review does not name a city.
“Javier was professional at all times. He showed me videos of my problems. He kept the area clean at all times.”
Showing the video is the point of a camera inspection. Keeping your home clean while we do it is part of the job.
Our owner, Jarod Smith, holds Iowa Master Plumber license #4913, issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
We serve Clive homes from our Des Moines metro branch, from the streets near Walnut Creek to the newer areas on the west side of town. Schedule your inspection online to reserve a visit.
If the video shows roots or heavy buildup, our hydro jetting service in Clive scours the pipe walls clean. For a broken or root damaged section, see our sewer services in Clive. You can also find every service we offer on our Clive plumbing page.
Common signs are a slow main drain, gurgling toilets and backups that return every few months. A camera inspection confirms it by showing roots at the joints. Without video, a clog from roots and a clog from grease can look the same from inside the house.
The USDA Forest Service review lists fast growing species as a risk factor. Any large tree within reach of the lateral can send roots toward a leaking joint. The camera tells us where roots are entering, which points to the tree responsible.
Usually not. Roots grow back through the same gap unless the joint is sealed or the section is replaced. We use the video to explain whether scheduled cleaning or a repair makes more sense for your line.
A cable with a cutting blade opens a root clog quickly, and jetting scours the remaining fibers and buildup from the pipe wall. The camera shows which approach the line needs. Our drain cleaning service in Clive covers both.
Yes. Clay tile shows short sections with a joint every few feet, which is where roots usually enter. Plastic pipe has longer sections and fewer joints. Knowing the material helps us plan the right fix.
Book service online and pick a time that works. If sewage is backing up now, note that on the form so we can treat it as an emergency.
