Plumbing question

[LinuxSaves]

I've had an ongoing problem with roots in the pipe that drains both bathrooms. (I practically OWN Roto-Rooter now.) I have a couple questions:

I've done the copper sulfate thing, which is supposed to kill roots, but I never seem to get really good results from that. Is there a trick to it? I always let it sit for a number of hours, usually overnight. Is there something else that works better? Other than having it snaked!!

I've heard of a method that, instead of replacing the original pipe, slips a new, smaller diameter pipe inside the original, at much less cost than tearing out and replacing the whole thing. But how does this compare in terms of price, inconvenience (i.e., tearing up the foundation?), and reliability? I just remodeled the bathrooms about three years ago, including the installation of very expensive ceramic tile floors. I dread the thought of seeing that destroyed, but I suppose there's no way around it.

Any suggestions are welcome; I'd much prefer NOT tearing up the house to repair/replace the pipe but, as I said, I'm not having much luck controlling the roots that are causing the blockages.

Thanks!

[Joseph Meehan]

Give it up. The only real fix is the real fix. Replace the leaking pipes. The sleeve idea, while it might work, I would only suggest under extreme situations where there was some very strong reason not to do it right. Reducing the size of your drain and leaving the same root issue in place that may damage the fix just makes it a last resort solution.

[Speedy Jim]

Needs more info.

Is this by chance a slab foundation??

Why only 2 baths have problems?

City sewer? Does the sewer line run around the perimeter of the house with various connections into it?

Where are trees relative to sewer line? How long a run to street (or septic)?

Jim

[Joseph Meehan]

Hold on there a minute. Are you saying the roots are under the house? Normally they don't need to go under a home to replace the problem parts of the sewer.

[LinuxSaves]

Yes, they're absolutely under the house! I watched in amazement one time when the plumber removed the toilet that's directly in the center of the house and started pulling roots out of the pipe. I have large, mature trees virtually all around the perimeter of the house; the closest one is about 10 feet away.

[LinuxSaves]

Yes.

Because my house only has two bathrooms! :-)

Yes, it's a sewer, not septic tank and, no, I don't believe it runs around the perimeter of the house. As I understand it the plumbing contained under my house connects up with each other at various places and then joins the city sewer line at one point.

I have several very large trees in close proximity to the house and, therefore, the pipes.

Approximately 25 feet.

[LinuxSaves]

[snip]

If I remember right, the pipe Roto-Rooter uses for the sleeve comes with a 100-year warranty. So I don't think it would end up having the same problem. Also, while I agree that the diameter of the drain would be reduced, I was under the impression that it was pretty negligible and shouldn't negatively impact the pipe's performance. But I really don't know! Which is why I came here looking for input. So I appreciate your comments.

[Speedy Jim]

It's not unusual for tree roots to get underneath a slab when large trees are nearby.

Here's a link to one firm that does re-lining:

I question though, whether re-lining will be cost effective for only a 25 ft run. I'm not sure that the re-lining can be done on sections where there are multiple entrances into the sewer (such as under the slab).

Jim

[Jeff Cochran]

Must not live near ficus trees... :)

This is done al the time, though possibly not a DIY project. A slab foundation can be dug under, or jackhammered in a specific area if need be and replaced.

The sleeves aren't cheap around here, it's usually less expensive to replace the pipe than sleeve, though your local costs may vary.

Jeff

[Joseph Meehan]

Right. Where I live few homes are on slabs. Roots generally don't go under the basement. :-)

[nospambob]

[Inspector D]

Trenchless sewer replacement is workable if the cost of a conventional replacement is prohibitive due to existing "hardscape" or landscaping replacement. If this is not the case, just replace the line from the house to the street with ABS or whatever is used in your area. Don't forget to add a "two-way" cleanout fitting near the house.