So you have determined you have roots in your sewer line that are either causing a slow drain or a completely blocked drain. NOW WHAT?!?
There are several options to try. Keep in mind that every situation is different, and not all fixes are suitable for all issues. The condition of the pipe, or cracks in the pipe, the type of material of pipe and the amount of roots can all have an effect on the efficacy of these treatments. Additionally, the following are meant as TEMPORARY repairs to get a homeowner to a point where the pipe can be properly repaired. Once a sewer pipe has breaks in it, the deterioration will continue until the pipe fails. This is NOT the point you want to be shopping for a plumber. We highly suggest you use any time gained by these fixes to start looking for a reputable plumber.
As we always believe it is best to avoid harsh chemicals, and apply minimum impact, we will list these suggestions in order of their ease, cost and safety.
SALT:
Regular, plain, old rock salt can be a great help. Salt will do two things. First the salt itself is poisonous to plants and will help to kill any vegetation that is alive in the drain. Second, the salt will absorb water like a sponge and dry out the roots, killing them.
If you are going to use salt, you will need to put a total of 2 pounds of rock salt in the drain. The most effective way to do this is through the toilet. Pour a half pound at a time into the toilet and flush. Only flush the toilet enough to clear the salt from the bowl. Repeat this process until the entire 2 pounds of salt has gone down. The most important key to this working is to avoid running water down any of the drains in the house for as long as possible, ideally 12 hrs.
Repeat this process at least twice in the first 30 days, and continue to repeat at least once a month.
COPPER SULFATE:
Many people have not heard of this product. But, it is extremely useful and readily available. The product is a blue crystal structure and has multiple uses from treating ponds for algae, fungicide, fertilizer, pest control and much more. But most importantly to you, this product kills tree roots!
Just as with the salt, you will need to flush about 2 pounds of Copper Sulfate down your toilet. Again, flushing about 1/2 a pound at a time. And again, as with the rock salt, you will not want to run water or flush toilets for as long as possible, to let the copper sulfate do its job.
Another benefit to this treatment is its suitability to be used on a septic system. Unlike chlorine, this product is actually beneficial to septic systems. The Copper Sulfate will actually help prevent root intrusion into the septic tank itself. Below is a picture, and this is available through Amazon for under $30.
Chlorine (Bleach):
Regular chlorine bleach will also kill roots just like the above two products. This chemical is harsher than salt, but can be effective. Just like the previous two products, you pour the bleach in a toilet and flush. I recommend a total of 2 gallons of concentrated bleach in one flush. To be clear, you will flush a total of 2 gallons of chlorine bleach into the toilet one time. Again avoid flushing toilets or running water as long as possible for the bleach to work.
An added benefit to this method is that it can be easier to get bleach down a drain that is running extremely slow or blocked completely.
NOTE: If you are on a septic system, your septic tank needs bacteria to work properly and break down the waste. Bleach will kill bacteria and can cause your septic tank to slow down its breakdown of waste. If you must use this method, best practices dictate that you should also work to increase the amount of active good bacteria in your tank. This can be accomplished by pouring a gallon of milk down the drain about 2 weeks after the bleach.
Foaming Drain Cleaners:
If you have tree roots, but the drain is running too clear and fast for salt or copper sulfate to help, you may want to consider a Foaming Drain Cleaner. Available at most home improvement centers, these harsh chemicals will create a foam that will fill the pipes, and eat away at the organic material of roots.
These products can certainly be effective but should be used with caution. They are often highly acidic mixtures capable of dissolving roots, so they can be extremely hazardous to humans, pets and the environment. Also, not all of these products are safe for use in septic systems, so be sure to read the directions carefully. pictured below are a few examples:
WARNING: Once you have used a chemical in a drain, do NOT pour other cleaners or chemicals down the drain. These are powerful chemicals and reactions between different cleaners can have deadly effects, from dangerous gasses to chemical burns.
.
Auger(Drain snake):
If everything else has failed to eat through the roots, the next most cost effective method is to have a professional snake the drain with a snake and auger bit that will cut through the roots. In most situations this is highly effective and will clear the roots immediately. There are multiple factors that can change the cost and ease of doing this. If you have an exterior clean-out (like pictured below) you can usually get the drain serviced for around $100. If your clean-out is in a basement, or worse a crawl space, you can expect the cost to go up.
If you do end up using this method to clear the drains, it is also highly recommended that you use an additional process, such as the salt or copper sulfate, to keep the roots from coming back. The auger will manually cut them, but the continual water in the line will have the roots growing back in no time without preventative measures.
Below are a few of the more common snakes that may be used:
Hydro Jet:
Prior to digging up your lawn or replacing pipe, this is another solution to remove roots. This process is usually reserved when the roots are too large or too many for the auger to cut, or if there are several bends in the drain that prevent the auger from doing its job. This process applies a very high pressure tip which is fed through the drain, using water pressure and jets, to cut the roots and completely clear the line. This process is also extremely effective for removing grease buildup. One of the biggest downfalls to this process is the cost. I have found in the Detroit metro area this work starts around $800 for reputable companies.
Roots in drain lines are never fun to deal with, but if left to grow, the problem will without question, result in $1000's in repairs. I have a client in Ferndale, Michigan who had to pay just over $5,000 to have a broken sewer line dug up and replaced in the middle of winter!
below is a diagram of how this equipment works, the actual machine is typically truck mounted.
As always, thanks for reading and we hope this has helped you!! Be sure to look at the rest of our blog and our home page for more tips and tricks around your home, at www.expert-home-inspections.com
There are several options to try. Keep in mind that every situation is different, and not all fixes are suitable for all issues. The condition of the pipe, or cracks in the pipe, the type of material of pipe and the amount of roots can all have an effect on the efficacy of these treatments. Additionally, the following are meant as TEMPORARY repairs to get a homeowner to a point where the pipe can be properly repaired. Once a sewer pipe has breaks in it, the deterioration will continue until the pipe fails. This is NOT the point you want to be shopping for a plumber. We highly suggest you use any time gained by these fixes to start looking for a reputable plumber.
As we always believe it is best to avoid harsh chemicals, and apply minimum impact, we will list these suggestions in order of their ease, cost and safety.
SALT:
Regular, plain, old rock salt can be a great help. Salt will do two things. First the salt itself is poisonous to plants and will help to kill any vegetation that is alive in the drain. Second, the salt will absorb water like a sponge and dry out the roots, killing them.
If you are going to use salt, you will need to put a total of 2 pounds of rock salt in the drain. The most effective way to do this is through the toilet. Pour a half pound at a time into the toilet and flush. Only flush the toilet enough to clear the salt from the bowl. Repeat this process until the entire 2 pounds of salt has gone down. The most important key to this working is to avoid running water down any of the drains in the house for as long as possible, ideally 12 hrs.
Repeat this process at least twice in the first 30 days, and continue to repeat at least once a month.
COPPER SULFATE:
Many people have not heard of this product. But, it is extremely useful and readily available. The product is a blue crystal structure and has multiple uses from treating ponds for algae, fungicide, fertilizer, pest control and much more. But most importantly to you, this product kills tree roots!
Just as with the salt, you will need to flush about 2 pounds of Copper Sulfate down your toilet. Again, flushing about 1/2 a pound at a time. And again, as with the rock salt, you will not want to run water or flush toilets for as long as possible, to let the copper sulfate do its job.
Another benefit to this treatment is its suitability to be used on a septic system. Unlike chlorine, this product is actually beneficial to septic systems. The Copper Sulfate will actually help prevent root intrusion into the septic tank itself. Below is a picture, and this is available through Amazon for under $30.
Chlorine (Bleach):
Regular chlorine bleach will also kill roots just like the above two products. This chemical is harsher than salt, but can be effective. Just like the previous two products, you pour the bleach in a toilet and flush. I recommend a total of 2 gallons of concentrated bleach in one flush. To be clear, you will flush a total of 2 gallons of chlorine bleach into the toilet one time. Again avoid flushing toilets or running water as long as possible for the bleach to work.
An added benefit to this method is that it can be easier to get bleach down a drain that is running extremely slow or blocked completely.
NOTE: If you are on a septic system, your septic tank needs bacteria to work properly and break down the waste. Bleach will kill bacteria and can cause your septic tank to slow down its breakdown of waste. If you must use this method, best practices dictate that you should also work to increase the amount of active good bacteria in your tank. This can be accomplished by pouring a gallon of milk down the drain about 2 weeks after the bleach.
Foaming Drain Cleaners:
If you have tree roots, but the drain is running too clear and fast for salt or copper sulfate to help, you may want to consider a Foaming Drain Cleaner. Available at most home improvement centers, these harsh chemicals will create a foam that will fill the pipes, and eat away at the organic material of roots.
These products can certainly be effective but should be used with caution. They are often highly acidic mixtures capable of dissolving roots, so they can be extremely hazardous to humans, pets and the environment. Also, not all of these products are safe for use in septic systems, so be sure to read the directions carefully. pictured below are a few examples:
WARNING: Once you have used a chemical in a drain, do NOT pour other cleaners or chemicals down the drain. These are powerful chemicals and reactions between different cleaners can have deadly effects, from dangerous gasses to chemical burns.
.
Auger(Drain snake):
If everything else has failed to eat through the roots, the next most cost effective method is to have a professional snake the drain with a snake and auger bit that will cut through the roots. In most situations this is highly effective and will clear the roots immediately. There are multiple factors that can change the cost and ease of doing this. If you have an exterior clean-out (like pictured below) you can usually get the drain serviced for around $100. If your clean-out is in a basement, or worse a crawl space, you can expect the cost to go up.
If you do end up using this method to clear the drains, it is also highly recommended that you use an additional process, such as the salt or copper sulfate, to keep the roots from coming back. The auger will manually cut them, but the continual water in the line will have the roots growing back in no time without preventative measures.
Below are a few of the more common snakes that may be used:
Hydro Jet:
Prior to digging up your lawn or replacing pipe, this is another solution to remove roots. This process is usually reserved when the roots are too large or too many for the auger to cut, or if there are several bends in the drain that prevent the auger from doing its job. This process applies a very high pressure tip which is fed through the drain, using water pressure and jets, to cut the roots and completely clear the line. This process is also extremely effective for removing grease buildup. One of the biggest downfalls to this process is the cost. I have found in the Detroit metro area this work starts around $800 for reputable companies.
Roots in drain lines are never fun to deal with, but if left to grow, the problem will without question, result in $1000's in repairs. I have a client in Ferndale, Michigan who had to pay just over $5,000 to have a broken sewer line dug up and replaced in the middle of winter!
below is a diagram of how this equipment works, the actual machine is typically truck mounted.
As always, thanks for reading and we hope this has helped you!! Be sure to look at the rest of our blog and our home page for more tips and tricks around your home, at www.expert-home-inspections.com
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