Repairing a broken drain line

[Sammy bin Snoozin]

This is for a home in Catawba County, North Carolina....

We have had a roto-rooter dude run his camera up a terra cotta drain = pipe and saw that there is a break about 15-ft inside the concrete = basement floor from the wall. They quoted $2400 to jack hammer the slab = (inside a basement) and replace the pipe. That does not include pouring = new concrete and finishing the floor.

We have called a few other plumbers but one couldn't do it and the = others either won't quote or won't even show up to look at it.

Question is.... I heard that there was a way to insert a PVC pipe or = tube inside just smaller than the original pipe which would allow normal = drainage. It would not seal against the wall and not seal the hole, but = roots (the current problem) would not penetrate the PVC.

It would be slightly smaller diameter, but should be plenty big for what = the drain pipe now carries (no washer or other high flow appliances, = etc.)

Anyway.... long story.... but ...

1 - Is $2400 reasonable? 2 - Is PVC insert an alternative? cheaper? 3 - Is there a general rule of thumb for when to repair an old line vs = installing a new one? (This house has been added on and the new line = would be a more direct route that the old one(s).)

Thanks!

Sam

[Joe]

Search for trenchless pipe repair... On google of course.

Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?

[Sammy bin Snoozin]

anything that had roots in the drain?

Yes, I was thinking of making a batch of diluted concentrate, putting an = elbow pointing up at the outlet and pouring in the inlet until it fills = the pipe. I've got about 20 feet of 4-inch pipe -- 12 gallons should be = plenty. The cost of any root killer or coating materials would be minor = compared to the cost of breaking up the concrete, replacing, refilling, = etc.

[Steve Barker LT]

roundup kills by smothering the plant from the top. It only works when sprayed on the green part.

s

Yes, I was thinking of making a batch of diluted concentrate, putting an elbow pointing up at the outlet and pouring in the inlet until it fills the pipe. I've got about 20 feet of 4-inch pipe -- 12 gallons should be plenty. The cost of any root killer or coating materials would be minor compared to the cost of breaking up the concrete, replacing, refilling, etc.

[dpb]

...

Not true in either assumption. It normally is sprayed on growing vegetation, but if in contact with roots, it will be taken up by the plant and kill it. It doesn't move in the soil widely so is not an effective sterilant or pre-emergent, but will be effective in in contact with the roots themselves.

Glyphosate works by disrupting the EPSP synthase enyzme which is key in the production of amino acids essential to plant growth, not by "suffocating" the plant. It is classified as a broad-spectrum, non-selective herbicide, active on most species of green plants.

[Greggie Gibson]

"Rod Speed" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

and of course roundup is so much more frugal than salt.

[dpb]

Well, other than the impractical mode of application (of trying to fill an open-ended pipe :) ), the use of Roundup would work quite well on anything that had roots in the pipe to take it up.

It would be wise to read more on the application label and mode of action of any herbicide before posting inaccurate information and then criticizing those who point that out...

--

[Stormin Mormon]

Thanks. Now, please delete the unrelated news groups from the top.

[Stormin Mormon]

Would you please take it to private email.

[Sammy bin Snoozin]

Christopher, if you are serious about your religious beliefs, why not = follow them and stop mucking up usenet with trivia and name-calling. = Not really the Christian philosophy. Or, if you are just playing = games, that's fine -- always room for one more airhead on usenet.