Roots in my drain line Half way to the road

[davey buoy]

Yesterday afternoon rec'd a call from my wife that the toilet,sink and the tub backed up with water.Added some drain chemicals but to no avail.

Called a plumber and snaked the drain about 55' and found a clog.Ended up being roots getting in through the clamps and gaskets of the clay piping(the house is 100 years old).He suggested don't be surprised if every 2-3 years you'll have to repeat this again.

Do you guys know of a product that you could add as a deterent and kill those roots or slow the growth down?.A couple of hundred dollars every 2 years or so isn't the end of the world price wise.

Don't think it's time to change the piping at this point. Thanks for any advice.

[lew]

Maybe check with the city cause if the tree causing the problems is on their side they may take care of the repairs for you.

[fishingfarmer]

Take a look at home hardware.I think they have a pellet that you flush and it will help.Copper sulphate will work but it is hard to buy.

[Terry]

find out if the problem is yours or the town

and I have one house that has the same problem and I have to snake it almost every year..but I did not have to do it this year..yet..knock on wood....

[davey buoy]

Maybe check with the city cause if the tree causing the problems is on their side they may take care of the repairs for you.

 

Lew,I have two huge pine trees on my property,and a huge maple.The plumber believes 99% it's the pines. He mentioned for every foot tall, they travel a equal distance straight out from the base.

[davey buoy]

find out if the problem is yours or the town

and I have one house that has the same problem and I have to snake it almost every year..but I did not have to do it this year..yet..knock on wood....

 

Terry,the trees are on my property,far closer to the house than the road. But they do interfere from time to time with the hydro wire from the transformer on the street to the side of the house. I wouldn't think that would be the cities problem?If it was I wouldn't mind loosing one of them at least.

[davey buoy]

Take a look at home hardware.I think they have a pellet that you flush and it will help.Copper sulphate will work but it is hard to buy.

 

Thanks, I"ll look into that as well.

[Fisherman]

Lew,I have two huge pine trees on my property,and a huge maple.The plumber believes 99% it's the pines. He mentioned for every foot tall, they travel a equal distance straight out from the base.

I think the formula is more like, the underground diameter of the rootball is very similar to the diameter of the longest branches from the trunk. Maples have a larger diameter rootball than pines.

[davey buoy]

I think the formula is more like, the underground diameter of the rootball is very similar to the diameter of the longest branches from the trunk. Maples have a larger diameter rootball than pines.

 

Your probably right,but the roots pulled out were consistent with that of a pine. The two trees are about 30' from the drain line heading to the street at the closest point.

[bigugli]

In the end, you will either have to replace the drain or remove the tree.

Another short term solution is to cut a trench parallel to the drain and sever the invading roots. It kills those roots already affecting the drain and buys you a few years breathing space before resorting to a more permanent and expensive solution.

[Skipper D]

Davey i am sorry to say but there is only one propper fix , i dig them all for Miller plumbing all over barrie each year , resposability is yours from the house to the side walk the city will quick to tell you , its theirs from the side walk to the main , What i always find when i dig is the old pipes are starting to collapse or have become ovel , the good news is there is a part of barrie where the city approve a certain kind of pipe to be used years back and if when we dig and find this pipe the city will foot the entire expence for the replacement . When it becomes ovel its just about impossible to put the roture thru them . Sorry Davey .

[esoxansteel]

Not sure about the Barrie area, but the city owns a certain footage from the centre of the street, back to tour property ie the boulevard, where I am I believe its 33ft from the centre of the street, they are responsible for that area, past that its your responsibility. I have had issues with plugged drains etc, and they resleeved the area, as the old cast pipes rust and catch every things that passes by it. They covered it, and no increase on taxes or bills etc. Check the city of Barrie, and what they are responsible for, also check the public works dept, and tell them your issues and they might come and run the cutters down your drain for you.

[davey buoy]

Davey i am sorry to say but there is only one propper fix , i dig them all for Miller plumbing all over barrie each year , resposability is yours from the house to the side walk the city will quick to tell you , its theirs from the side walk to the main , What i always find when i dig is the old pipes are starting to collapse or have become ovel , the good news is there is a part of barrie where the city approve a certain kind of pipe to be used years back and if when we dig and find this pipe the city will foot the entire expence for the replacement . When it becomes ovel its just about impossible to put the roture thru them . Sorry Davey .

 

Thanks Big and Skip ,I know I will have to replace it sooner or later.How deep under the ground do these run on average?.I live in the older east end area and I wonder if my piping would qualify?.How would I find out?,dig?.

Inside it's abs than changes to iron pipe as it exits the house.

[davey buoy]

Not sure about the Barrie area, but the city owns a certain footage from the centre of the street, back to tour property ie the boulevard, where I am I believe its 33ft from the centre of the street, they are responsible for that area, past that its your responsibility. I have had issues with plugged drains etc, and they resleeved the area, as the old cast pipes rust and catch every things that passes by it. They covered it, and no increase on taxes or bills etc. Check the city of Barrie, and what they are responsible for, also check the public works dept, and tell them your issues and they might come and run the cutters down your drain for you.

 

That would be a hell of a deal if that's the case.I'll have to call and find out exact distances.Skipper mentioned it(the city) only goes to the sidewalk.I don't have a sidewalk on my side of the street.

[Skipper D]

Thanks Big and Skip ,I know I will have to replace it sooner or later.How deep under the ground do these run on average?.I live in the older east end area and I wonder if my piping would qualify?.How would I find out?,dig?.

Inside it's abs than changes to iron pipe as it exits the house.

 

 

It will be the deepth at where it leaves the in side of the house Davey , and fall to the deepth of the mian under the street , i find them fron four feet to as deep as eleven feet at the side walk , over all most at the deepest run at six feet . The type of pipe and i should know the name of the dam stuff and i can't think of it right now , but its a bit like a tare and paper mixture , places where we have come across this pipe have been east of bayfeild st to st vincent and south of rose . Miller plumbing will know the area's in barrie where it was used the most , they've done a quit a bit with the city in the past , they are one of the oldest plumbing companys if not the oldest

[Skipper D]

That would be a hell of a deal if that's the case.I'll have to call and find out exact distances.Skipper mentioned it(the city) only goes to the sidewalk.I don't have a sidewalk on my side of the street.

 

 

If theres no side walk Davey , then they have me dig it to the curb .

[Skipper D]

If it should be this pipe that the city will foot the bill for , ha , they what a check from you for the full amount before they alou the work , some where between 5 & 7 grand , after you employ some one to do the jod for your property to the side walk or the curb in your case , then once the city returns to replace the pipe from the main under the street back to meat up with your pipe , then you can have your funds that you put up front returned to you ,but they always ask if you would like to apply them to your tax's for a credit ... lol the choice is yours .

Edited January 27, 2012 by Skipper " D "

[Fish Farmer]

I think the formula is more like, the underground diameter of the rootball is very similar to the diameter of the longest branches from the trunk. Maples have a larger diameter rootball than pines.

I had the same problem as you and like Fisherman said, it's the Maple. What you see above the ground is double below ground. In Hamilton they used to cover the cost of the Router-Rooter, but not anymore. In Hamilton, the city owns 30' from the center of the street to my house. I had to get the job done every year. The Router-Rooter guy told me if you leave the tree there, it will eventually collapse your old clay pipe, then it's the BIG job. I had one guy give me a estimate to replace the pipe, $15.000 for the fix. My beautiful Maple tree is gone. Lucky it was on my property.

Was funny when the Rooter guy came to my house he said rite away, you got root problems. I said how did you know. He said Maple tree in the front yard, they got to be the worst tree for roots. I thought to myself, this is going to be interesting. Sure enough, he ran his saw cuter snake down the drain almost 30' out and bang. He pulled out about 4' of roots.

I wish you luck!

Edited January 27, 2012 by Fish Farmer

[bigugli]

Easiest measure of where the municpality covers the cost... the water box. That steel disc in the ground is the municipal valve to the water supply. Everything between the box and the house is at your expense.

[woodenboater]

We had the same issue shortly after moving into our home. Tried snaking it ourselves but nada. Eventually called in the pros and their snake popped up through a vent. The blockage was nasty and he had to dig down at least 6'. During one of the coldest winters in recent memory no less.

 

What I remember most is when he finally cracked the pipe...what emanated from the depths very nearly knocked me over. It was foul beyond belief And he was deep in the pit.

 

So my advice would be to pay the piper and get her dug up and fixed properly.

[Sinker]

I'd fix it, then burn the tree.

 

I had the same problem, but it was with a septic bed. Silver maple had roots into the next county. Once I had the bed cleared, the tree came down the next day. It was too bad, it was a HUGE, beautiful, mature tree.

 

S.

[pikehunter]

Just had a similiar problem, wasn't roots though but a calcium build up. House is about 60 years old with clay pipe sewer. Blockages were on both my side of the line and on the city's. Had the sewer power flushed by a guy that has a truck mounted unit and it took him 2 trips to break it up and then I also had to have my driveway dug up next to the house to repair a break. Cost me about 2 grand in the end and I have a gravel patch in my driveway now that I have to repair.

 

The city would not help with any of the costs, said something about being on my side too so basically they just told me to go and blow it out my ear. Also the guy at city hall said that power flushing/cutting the blockage out doesn't work but I have the before and after video to prove that it did.

 

Plumber also said to quit using 2 ply toilet paper and no grease down the drain. Has anyone tried finding 1 ply paper lately? Hard to find, so we've been buying a 2 ply septic system safe type but did pick up a huge package of 1 ply in the states last week when we were in Dearborn.

[Jer]

 

 

Plumber also said to quit using 2 ply toilet paper and no grease down the drain. Has anyone tried finding 1 ply paper lately? Hard to find, so we've been buying a 2 ply septic system safe type but did pick up a huge package of 1 ply in the states last week when we were in Dearborn.

 

 

 

You'll just end up using twice as much...

[Lip-ripper]

A buddy of mine and my brother just went through this. Both ended up replacing their old clay pipes with new ABS. The problem with having to snake it every couple of years is that it always seemed to happen at the worst times (had company over which meant more flushes). Plus, you have to clean up turds when it backs up.

Also, look into getting a liner inserted. Apparently its a relatively new technology where they can insert a plastic liner in the old pipe via your cleanout in the house. Supposed to be cheaper and work pretty good.

[Skipper D]

Just had a similiar problem, wasn't roots though but a calcium build up. House is about 60 years old with clay pipe sewer. Blockages were on both my side of the line and on the city's. Had the sewer power flushed by a guy that has a truck mounted unit and it took him 2 trips to break it up and then I also had to have my driveway dug up next to the house to repair a break. Cost me about 2 grand in the end and I have a gravel patch in my driveway now that I have to repair.

 

The city would not help with any of the costs, said something about being on my side too so basically they just told me to go and blow it out my ear. Also the guy at city hall said that power flushing/cutting the blockage out doesn't work but I have the before and after video to prove that it did.

 

Plumber also said to quit using 2 ply toilet paper and no grease down the drain. Has anyone tried finding 1 ply paper lately? Hard to find, so we've been buying a 2 ply septic system safe type but did pick up a huge package of 1 ply in the states last week when we were in Dearborn.

 

Its all bad news now where clay pipes are consern unfortunitly , what i see when we digging them up now is over the years with the above weight thats been on them and most now being water logged , they are full of stress cracks , this makes it real easy for those fine small roots to get in and do thier thing , i like to beieve now with the hard new pvc pipe thats being used will eleminate a lot of digging in for home owners in the future