Tree roots in sewer line

[Tolduonce]

So many of you offered good tips on solving my mouse problem I figured I'd ask about how you keep tree roots out of your sewer lines. I have a sanitary sewer (no septic tank) and have had root problems for years. I have lots of old trees that I don't want to cut down. Copper sulfate crystals are legal here, but I know they are toxic to aquatic life so I don't want to go that route. My results with plumbers snaking out the line has been marginal. Had one guy who did it and was a magician, but he retired. The other guys snake it out but tend to push the roots to the point where my lateral ties into the main and they just jam up the line right there. There's a pretty tight 90 degree bend at that point and most folks can't push them past that spot. If you have this problem, how do you handle it?

 

[stobes21]

My wife's family cabin had this problem and we got stuck up there a couple of years ago because roots shut down the septic system. We had a guy snake it and have since used the copper sulfate. I was not aware of side effects for marine life.

 

[chfair]

i dunno what it is called (sorry i will post this in hopes someone else knows what it is called) but we had a plumbing company here in east texas that had a machine that was basically a high pressure water pump. they attached a metal spray head to the end of a flexible water pressure hose and it is designed to push itself down the pipe while water jets on the front of the head push through and break up clogs in the line. at my parents house there are several almost 90 degree turns in the lines, the contraption had no problems with this. as i understand they have attachment heads designed to cut away blocks in the lines that are made up of hard items, we were told some of them were used on the city pipes that are metal are so the more aggressive heads would destroy PVC that is used for most home systems.

hope that helps

 

[TinFish]

+1 I have also heard of the high pressure water jets clearing out the sewer, and chfair raises some legit concerns. You may want to verify your sewer line material. If your house is older (pre-pvc era) your sewer line may be made of clay pipe which cracks over time or cast iron, with leaky joints or rust through. Roots will find their way to those leaks, and no matter how you clear the clogs, be it high water pressure or roto-rooting, it will have to be done regularly as part of a maintenance program. Replacing an old, leaky sewer line would be the best thing, as no leaks would mean the roots would find water from the soil, not the sewer. I probably also don't need to tell you that it would be the most costly and disruptive, with no guarantee that it can be done without root damage to the trees you want to save. Maybe not what you want to hear, but this is fairly common with older homes surrounded by mature trees and landscape.

 

[_JP_]

i dunno what it is called (sorry i will post this in hopes someone else knows what it is called) but we had a plumbing company here in east texas that had a machine that was basically a high pressure water pump.

Around here those are called "jetters."

The permanent fix for the problem might have to be replacing the pipe with plastic pipe that the roots won't go through.

 

[Tolduonce]

Yeah, I kinda figured a partial or total replacement will be needed one day. In the meantime, I've been having it snaked out every two years or so. Just not too eager to have the yard dug up, not to mention the cash outlay. There is a product called Root X that comes highly rated and I may try that out. Anybod familiar with that?

 

[Obsessed]

I had a problem with roots in my sewer line last year (quick tip: don't flush baby wipes down the toilet; they can get stuck on the roots and cause a major clog almost instantly, apparently). Is two years the recommended interval to snake the pipe out?

 

[Tolduonce]

Two years is the cheap way to do it I guess. From what I hear, in the Northern Hemisphere, the lines are best snaked out in the springtime when the tree goes from dormancy to active growth. They say the roots grow during the winter and the leaves and branches grow during the spring and summer. I squeak by (most times) by playing the odds. Supposedly, frequent lawn watering slows down the tree's search for water in the sewer line. Just what I've heard.

 

[joshmpdx]

you're going to need to replace the sewer line. once it's PVC, it'll be worry free.

they will (most likely) burst it through the concrete or terra cotta, which won't cause much disruption to your yard, and if it's a straight line roughly 20 feet or so, should only cost 2 - 3 k.

 

[Wilpar76]

I have this same problem as I have a huge tree in my front yard. The surface roots span half the yard, but the underground roots go on and on. Anyway, I get the line snaked from inside the house about every other year, so your two year schedule sounds good.

However, I get the county to come and snake the outside clean-out access point two or three times a year. They say to have it done once a year, but with the huge tree, we have to get it done more often.

In my part of Maryland, the county is responsible for the sewer pipe from the external access point in the front yard out to the mainline in the street (about 35-50 feet). The homeowner is responsible from the external access point back into the house.

You may also want to ask if your plumber uses pipe cameras or fiber optic technology to view the root damage. That may also give you an idea of how much time you have before you really have to replace the entire line.