Summer brings a growing popular for Houston area homeowners. Alan O'Neill, president of  highly rated Abacus Plumbing LLC weighs in on how to control roots.

How can homeowners control roots in their pipes?

O'Neill: Roots in sewer pipes can be a real problem especially during drought conditions. The roots actually go in search of water and will find cracks in older sewer lines and penetrate the line eventually causing stoppages in the line.

The only way to remove roots is to cut them out with the blade of a sewer machine. Once the roots are removed, the line can be treated with a root barrier product.