Roots clogged my sewer pipe

[Murdoc]

I just recently purchased my first house and moved in a couple weeks ago. This week I had a slight sewer back up in the basement. The plumber came out and cleared roots from the sewer pipe with a plumbers snake. He also sent a video camera down the pipe. The house was built in 1920 and looks to have the original clay pipe.

Anyway, I'm wondering what luck ATOT has had with any of the chemicals that you put down the drain that supposedly kill the the roots and keep them from growing back? Do they actually work or are they a waste of money?

The tree that I think is causing the problem is on the neighbors lot, so removing it is probably not an option.

 

[Carson Dyle]

My Dad had this problem in the home I grew up in. From what he told me, the chemicals helped, but didn't completely control the problem. I'd do it just on the off chance that it would keep to a minimum the number of time you'll need to clear the pipe.

 

[MongGrel]

Root Kill.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-2-lb-Root-Kill-ZROOT24/100074551

 

[skyking]

I have no experience with any chemical remedies, but I have replaced several side sewers as part of my job. "Side sewer" is the term for the connection from your home to the sewer main.
The sewer utility company is typically responsible for the portion of the pipe coming off the main to behind the curb, but this varies by municipality. It pays to know where the utility's responsibility ends; many times we saved the customer thousands of dollars.
If a tree has compromised the pipe, it is only a matter of time before you will need to deal with it properly. I know, not exactly the news you wanted with your new home.

 

[Iron Woode]

I have no experience with any chemical remedies, but I have replaced several side sewers as part of my job. "Side sewer" is the term for the connection from your home to the sewer main.
The sewer utility company is typically responsible for the portion of the pipe coming off the main to behind the curb, but this varies by municipality. It pays to know where the utility's responsibility ends; many times we saved the customer thousands of dollars.
If a tree has compromised the pipe, it is only a matter of time before you will need to deal with it properly. I know, not exactly the news you wanted with your new home.

I agree.

The pipe has already been compromised by the tree roots. It would be best to replace the pipe with something better now before the pipe collapses and forces you to replace it.

 

[Anubis]

we had the same thing happen last year

hard to replace a 6 foot section of pipe, it was not cheap

 

[Murdoc]

Thanks for the responses.

It looks like I'll try the chemicals and also start saving up money to have the line replaced.

 

[njmodi]

Roots compromising old sewer pipes is a prevalent problem in almost any community 50+ years old. The clay pipes crack with age. Roots find their way through those cracks, and also through gaps that develop in the joints.

I would highly recommend Roebic Foaming Root Killer. This product foams once it is added to the sewer line (with water) thus reaching, and killing, the roots that have penetrated the sewer line from above. Most other products don't make contact with the complete inside-surface of the pipe, so are not as effective in controlling roots.

Cheers.

 

[alkemyst]

Had this happen at like 2am one night. The kids bathroom literally had roots right at the base of the toilet.

Roto-Rooter was the only company able to get there, the sinks were overflowing (doing laundry and dishes).

About $1000, they were there until the morning.

 

[iGas]

The building sewer needs to be replaced because it have cracks/broken (due to deterioration/ground shifts) that allowed the roots to grow into it. And, no amount of chemicals you can poor into it to stop the growth, unless you pour enough into it to kill the city sewer treatment center.

The best solution is dig down to the sewer pipe and replace it with 4" solid core ABS/PVC DWV pipe. The second solution is to sell the house and move.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Sewer clogging assholes:

 

[iGas]

Thanks for the responses.

It looks like I'll try the chemicals and also start saving up money to have the line replaced.

It is not an expensive or difficult replacement if you DIY.

Don't pour any chemical into the drain, and wait a few months till the root regrow/clog the drain. Then rent a power snake. Drop the end of the snake down the building clean out with out the cutting head until it hit the horizontal building sewer pipe (C/O is within the first 3 feet from outside building wall). Pull up the snake and measure the drop distance. Then, feed the snake back into the BS C/O by hand till you hit the blockage/resistant. Pull the snake back out and lay it on the ground from the BS C/O to the city sewer BS C/O minus the drop distant that you recorded earlier (And, the end is where the clog is).

Flexseal Adaptor Coupling Installation

Or, perhaps replace the full building sewer length from your house to the city connection.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It may be that you have old clay pipes and that they are cracked in some spots. If roots are able to get in it's only going to get worse, but for now save up and just get it done every now and then.

It's not that it's a hard job, it's that it's hard to get to the job. The sewer pipe will be 10 feet or even deeper depending on the incline away from the house so it's not something you're going to do yourself with a shovel or a mini excavator. That said, it would be possible to DIY if you rent a big excavator. I would probably attempt it myself if I had to do it. Always wanted to operate one of those anyway.

 

[John Connor]

Thanks for the responses.

It looks like I'll try the chemicals and also start saving up money to have the line replaced.

Clay pipe sucks. When you get the line replaced and you can afford it you can get the pipe wrapped in coper mesh which will prevent roots.

 

[pete6032]

I have no experience with any chemical remedies, but I have replaced several side sewers as part of my job. "Side sewer" is the term for the connection from your home to the sewer main.

The term we use here is "lateral."

 

[skyking]

Igas had a different term for Canada as well

 

[BUTCH1]

I had a blockage of some type 2 yrs ago, called a plumber, was told my clean-out is angled in at 45 degrees back to the house so he went on the roof and used the vent stack and successfully restored flow. What he told me is that it's not that chemicals can't help it's the fact that you must not use the line at all to give time for the chemicals time to kill the roots and most people can't hang in there that long.

 

[NutBucket]

How long is long? I have roots in my line but so far not enough to cause any problems.

 

[Zodiark1593]

It may be that you have old clay pipes and that they are cracked in some spots. If roots are able to get in it's only going to get worse, but for now save up and just get it done every now and then.

It's not that it's a hard job, it's that it's hard to get to the job. The sewer pipe will be 10 feet or even deeper depending on the incline away from the house so it's not something you're going to do yourself with a shovel or a mini excavator. That said, it would be possible to DIY if you rent a big excavator. I would probably attempt it myself if I had to do it. Always wanted to operate one of those anyway.

Even worse than clay are the Orangeburg Pipes. Basically, a very large toilet paper roll covered in tar. Used up until the 1970's. Delightful huh?

And yes, they are prone to failure. Oftentimes, they deform, and roots grow straight through the pipes.

 

[T9D]

It's easy to fix. You should have asked the plumber to mark where it's at while he was there. The camera should have something on it that he can find with sensor above ground.

He'll find the exact location. Then mark it. You just have to dig.

Get a sawzall, cut the pipe, stick in a new plastic piece, use some of those rubber adapters that just screw clamp down.

Fill in the dirt and you're done.

I did this not long ago. The pipe is ruined, it needs to be fixed. My pipe was thick metal, it was trashed by the roots. Ripped all apart and huge thick roots were growing in it. Now it's all fixed up tight.

 

[iGas]

It's easy to fix. You should have asked the plumber to mark where it's at while he was there. The camera should have something on it that he can find with sensor above ground.

He'll find the exact location. Then mark it. You just have to dig.

Get a sawzall, cut the pipe, stick in a new plastic piece, use some of those rubber adapters that just screw clamp down.

Fill in the dirt and you're done.

I did this not long ago. The pipe is ruined, it needs to be fixed. My pipe was thick metal, it was trashed by the roots. Ripped all apart and huge thick roots were growing in it. Now it's all fixed up tight.

It is quite difficult to cut clay pipe using sawzall. The best is to use a pipe cutter if you have the room, other wise a zip disk and a grinder make short work of the job.

 

[iGas]

Igas had a different term for Canada as well

Uniform Plumbing Code is developed by IAPMO using ANSI and is supported by ASSE, MCAA, PHCC-NA, UA, and WPC.

Building Sewer definition.

2009 Building Sewer definition. UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE 204.0 - 205.0 page 11.

BUILDING SEWER. That part of the drainage system that
extends from the end of the building drain and conveys the dis-
charge to a public sewer, private sewer, individual sewage dis-
posal system or other point of disposal.

 

[njmodi]

For all those suggesting that the OP locate and replace the "segment" that is compromised, in my experience, it is rarely just one patch. Typically in a property built back in 1920, there will be roots throughout, especially if there are mature trees nearby. The short-term fix is to use chemicals to keep things moving, but at some point that pipe will either collapse on itself or get severely damaged while power-rodding and it will need to be replaced in it's entirety from the house to the street.

I have seen some plumbing shops offer to hydro-jet the clay pipe - claiming that totally cleans all roots out, and then apply a liner on the inside. They were offering a 10yr warranty on that type of remedy, and it was about 50% of the cost of replacing the line entirely.

 

[skyking]

Uniform Plumbing Code is developed by IAPMO using ANSI and is supported by ASSE, MCAA, PHCC-NA, UA, and WPC.

Building Sewer definition.

2009 Building Sewer definition. UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE 204.0 - 205.0 page 11.

It's tribal then. Our tribe call them side sewers. It is written on alder slabs with burnt sticks.
Then we smoke salmon on them.

 

[skyking]

Even worse than clay are the Orangeburg Pipes. Basically, a very large toilet paper roll covered in tar. Used up until the 1970's. Delightful huh?

And yes, they are prone to failure. Oftentimes, they deform, and roots grow straight through the pipes.

That's exactly what happened at our friend's place in North Carolina in this thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=94471

It was D-shaped, and the slip couplings just let the roots on in. No glue, just a slip fit.