Sewer lateral root abatement

[Carmudgeon]

Had to have a plumber visit to clean out the sewer lateral.

Pulled up a root ball as the cause of the obstruction, despite there being no current planting along the path of the lateral, which runs under a driveway.

Recommended waiting a couple weeks, then applying RootX as treatment.

The stuff is not cheap (relatively, it is, but…) and I guess the active ingredient it employs is what drives the cost. The OTC product on Home Despot's shelf with the same formula is cheaper, but in a much smaller container.

Any experiences with it, or alternatives?

 

[GaryMX5]

Did the plumber scope the line after he removed the obstruction. I ask because it's very easy for roots to continue to invade and damage the sewer line. If the roots found their way in through a joint or coupling odds are good it will happen again and actually cause physical damage to the line. A tree only needs to be within 50 to 100 feet to find a water source like a water or sewer line. Odds are good the line had a leak even if very small (it's like a rodent finding food). The RootX is a temporary fix.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Way back when I had clay sewer pipe, I used copper sulfate from Ace Hardware with pretty good success. Did it on periodic basis. Don't recall it being that expensive.

 

[Nukeman7]

Most root killers are Copper Sulfate crystal based that may be blended with a foaming additive. Pure Copper Sulfate is available for much less.

 

[doitmyself]

No experience here. Both Root X and Roebic foaming root killers contain the active ingredient Dichlobenil herbicide. Root X seems to be the gold standard that others are compared to. Beyond it's active ingredient it claims to have better adjuvents to increase it's effectiveness. An A.I. inquiry of cost effectiveness is actually interesting and helpful (if believed). It claims that Root X works the best, especially early on when getting control over the roots. It implies that once controlled and relatively clean, the Roebic "might" be good enough and cheaper.

Both are annual (maybe more) herbicide treatments to manage root intrusion. I did not study copper sulfate treatments, another alternative. $100 +/- a year to manage a potential huge expense is not too bad.

My choice would be to use the Root X and continue monitoring.

 

[grasscutter]

The best course of action is to replace the sewer line with a pipe that won't allow the roots to get in.

That's coming from a guy who's too poor to follow his own advice.

 

[Jerrysends]

Rock Salt is the inexpensive way to kill roots.

 

[Carmudgeon]

Did the plumber scope the line after he removed the obstruction. I ask because it's very easy for roots to continue to invade and damage the sewer line. If the roots found their way in through a joint or coupling odds are good it will happen again and actually cause physical damage to the line. A tree only needs to be within 50 to 100 feet to find a water source like a water or sewer line. Odds are good the line had a leak even if very small (it's like a rodent finding food). The RootX is a temporary fix.

The line has been scoped before, and shown to be mostly intact, but there is a point close to the connection the municipal system where it kinks, and even transitions from plastic, to a clay segment. But that was done at least a couple years ago, and the current situation is unknown.

The driveway will be needing replacement sooner rather than later, so when that's redone, the lateral can be exposed and addressed as needed.

No experience here. Both Root X and Roebic foaming root killers contain the active ingredient Dichlobenil herbicide. Root X seems to be the gold standard that others are compared to. Beyond it's active ingredient it claims to have better adjuvents to increase it's effectiveness. An A.I. inquiry of cost effectiveness is actually interesting and helpful (if believed). It claims that Root X works the best, especially early on when getting control over the roots. It implies that once controlled and relatively clean, the Roebic "might" be good enough and cheaper.

Both are annual (maybe more) herbicide treatments to manage root intrusion. I did not study copper sulfate treatments, another alternative. $100 +/- a year to manage a potential huge expense is not too bad.

My choice would be to use the Root X and continue monitoring.

Interestingly, RootX says their 2 lb product will cover 50 ft of 4 in pipe. Roebic claims that their 1 lb product will cover the same distance. I suppose, for $20, it's possible to double up on the Roebic, and still come out ahead.

I've seen reference to Copper Sulfate before, but I guess it's not considered environmentally friendly.

In the longer term, all of these are practical band aids, but it will still take a lot of plumber visits, at the apparent rate of need, to equate to the cost of an excavation and repair.

 

[Lubener]

You will have to add copper sulfate on a regular basis or replace the sewer line. Adding just one application will not solve the problem for the long term. The roots will continue to invade through the pipe opening.

 

[97prizm]

Had to have a plumber visit to clean out the sewer lateral.

Pulled up a root ball as the cause of the obstruction, despite there being no current planting along the path of the lateral, which runs under a driveway.

Recommended waiting a couple weeks, then applying RootX as treatment.

The stuff is not cheap (relatively, it is, but…) and I guess the active ingredient it employs is what drives the cost. The OTC product on Home Despot's shelf with the same formula is cheaper, but in a much smaller container.

Any experiences with it, or alternatives?

Copper sulfate. A few times per year and no issues with a large tree out front in my parents house.

 

[oldcodger]

When the guy installed a new field drain at my house he added a riser at the outflow connection at the tank. It has a cap at ground level which I can remove and add the copper sulfate. Seems to be working.

 

[Cujet]

Rock Salt is the inexpensive way to kill roots.

My neighbor used muriatic acid. Cost him about $20. Seemed to work perfectly. His septic pipes were plastic.

 

[Carmudgeon]

When the guy installed a new field drain at my house he added a riser at the outflow connection at the tank. It has a cap at ground level which I can remove and add the copper sulfate. Seems to be working.

Thankfully, the lateral has not one, but two easily accessible cleanouts that allow almost direct treatment, instead of having to dump stuff into a toilet inside the house.

Loosely capped, one of them also serves as an outlet for the effluent when the line becomes blocked, so it doesn't back up into the house. Relieves the need for an urgent call to the plumber; it's fine it he shows up the next day or two. You do see evidence that the fancy TP that pampers your tush nowadays doesn't dissolve as much as the cheap or old stuff does, never mind the "flushable" wipes and such that I'm sure many a wastewater engineer curses.

I think what I'll do is to try a foaming herbicide product first, then use copper sulfate periodically to maintain.

 

[dlundblad]

This mess of roots came from a silver maple tree that was 25-30’ away. (If the tree would have went about that distance the other direction, he would have been drinking from the pond.)

Can you dump your water softener discharge in it? That’ll keep the roots back.

 

[burbguy82]

The roots are likely coming from a defect in the vitrified clay connection to the city. Usually a rubber coupling is used to make the transition. If the connection is not shielded, it will fail, and this will be the result.

As long as the piping is ok, when you go to repair this issue, dig up the connection and examine it, make sure everything is sealed, all the way around the connection........then, mix some concrete with some hydraulic cement (water-stop cement) and encase the connection with the mixture. Extra insurance.