How to use root killer?

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skuba

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Hi,
We have been having a problem with our plumbing for a long time. Pretty much the problem is with roots that clog the pipes.
From time to time we have an "accident" where the toilet overflows and the whole bathroom get's dirty.
When that happens we have to call roto rooter and shell out about $300.
As we can't afford doing that all the time, AND we don't want to be cleaning crap of the bathroom floor, we wanted to avoid the root clogging.

We have been using ZEP Root Killer, but we are not sure of the best way to sue it? Should we put a bunch 2 or 3 bottles at once every few months? Or pour 1 bottle every month?

How can we make this effective to avoid clogging?

is there any other solution or work around?

PS: We won't do the permanent fix, cause it costs a lot and would require breaking everything and re-doing all pipes.

Thanks so much
 

MACPLUMB

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Get Root-x Root Killer Use I 2lb Can Mixed Together Per Each
50 Foot Run From Basement Out To Middle Of Street It's Good
For Up To 12 Mos. At A Time
 

hj

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root killer

Root killer only works while it is in contact with the roots. If it flows by rapidly and the roots only absorb a little bit then that is all the benefit you receive. Sometimes perception is more important than reality. If you believe it works that is all that counts as long as it does not CAUSE a problem.
 

MACPLUMB

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Jakeru;
You Are Obviously Not A Professional Plumber,
Or Know What You Are Talking About That Kind Of Snake Is Only
Made For 11/2" & 2" Drains, "maybe" Soft Blockages In 3" Pipe
You Run That In A 4" Main Line Full Of Roots And You Are Just Asking For "bad" "bad" Trouble,
Any Professional Plumber Or Drain Man Would Not Even Consider
Something That Will Just Get Wrapped In Roots,

I Have Seen Even 3/4" Cable Run By Profession People Get Hung Up
And Have To Have The Pipe Dug Up To Get Free,

When You Use Root X One Side Of The Mix Is A Foaming Agent
You Have To Wait A Couple Of Hours For It To Work And Is Guaranteed
To Work
Go To Root X .com And Watch Video Of It Working This What

"professional" Drain People Use To Kill Roots After They Run The Snake
 

Cass

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you are a good candidate for foaming root killer
 

Redwood

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A smiling Rooter company employee using a 3" cutter in a 4" pipe...
How typical!:mad:

You are a candidate for Root-X!
 

MACPLUMB

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Yes He Is Using A 3" Cutter " And " A 3/4" Cable
WHICH MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING ROOTS
 
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Redwood

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Yes He Is Using A 3" Cutter " And " A 3/4" Cable
WHICH MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING ROOTS

Yea, Undersize cutters will get you back in the customers pocket sooner.
Many times around here a 4" line just outside the foundation gets increased to 6"...

Make that a vitrified clay line with a root every couple of feet... Well I'd call it ripping off the customer not to run a 3-5 blade at a minimum. 4-6 preferred.

The only time I would run a 3" blade in a 4" line is if I was pushing it through a house trap with no other access.

BTW I'll bet thats a 11/16 cable....
 

Bigtruck

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Roots of Evil

Yes He Is Using A 3" Cutter " And " A 3/4" Cable
WHICH MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING ROOTS

Jerry,

I am on a slab.

I have roots in the drain from the master bath to the T that drains out.

I hired a plumbing company to come out with the camera. The roots were growing all over the TOP of the drain!

Would the foaming root killer work for that?

They wanted to jack hammer the floor in the main bathroom and replace the pipe.

What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

Ray
 

Bigtruck

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Yes

Pipe replacement is a permenant fix for root intrusion in a line.

Yes, of course.

I guess what I'm wondering is.....how long can I hold them at bay?

I have heard of drilling 2" holes in the earth 2ft deep between the tree and the drain pipe and then placing root killer in them to deter the tree from growing that way.

Any input?

Thanks,

Ray
 

hj

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roots

How could a camera show roots growing on the outside of the pipe? And if they are, unless your pipes are broken, which means they would have to be dug up and repaired, the roots cannot enter the pipe, anyway. Maybe you should not be using a company with "rooter" in its name, especially if it costs $300.00 every time they come. The machine may be suitable for 1 1/2" to 4" lines, but only if you use the correct cables in the drum. One of my friends had them snake their sink drain with a small cable. It went to the main sewer line and got caught in a mass of roots like that one. It wound itself into knots, and the company told my friend unless HE got the snake out of the line they would have to charge him for it. I dug down to the cleanout on the main line, and removed the snake, (I left the tangled mess on the ground for them to pick it up), and then snaked the drain with the proper sized cable.
 

Bigtruck

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How could a camera show roots growing on the outside of the pipe?

Nobody ever said they were on the outside! I said they were on the top. I had no idea someone would actually think I was talking about the "outside" of the pipe. LOL.

the roots cannot enter the pipe

They can enter the pipe and they do all the time!


The roots are on the upper inside of the pipe. They seems to be avoiding the lower radius.

Thanks,

Ray
 
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Redwood

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but FWIW, the harbor freight unit I linked does say that it is good for up to 4" pipe. I will defer to the "pros" as to whether this is false advertising or not.

I would say that it is about the same as calling this 24" long piece of crap that has the name Pittsburg on it yet is made in China selling for $13.99 a pipe wrench...

39645.gif


They won't even steal those at jobsites in the middle of crackhead town...
 

Bigtruck

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Jerry

Yes He Is Using A 3" Cutter " And " A 3/4" Cable
WHICH MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING ROOTS

Jerry,

I must say, I'm very impressed with your professionalism and knowledge!

You nailed my problem and saved me a ton of money!!

My mother has been suffering from Parkinson's and Dimensia in the last few years. Recently an adult care center, that my sister left her in while on vacation, nearly overdosed her to death!! We wanted badly to go to NJ to see her, but had no idea how we would afford the trip.

Now...not only can we go see her, but it will be at Thanksgiving!!

Thank You very much!

Sincerely,

Ray
 

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SewerRatz

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I have been cleaning sewers in the the Chicago area for 24 years now. Most homes here have 4" cast Iron under the house and when it leaves the house approx 5' out it goes into 6" clay pipe. These homes only have a 4" clean out on the stack so trying to get a 6" expanding cutter through the line is real pain in the arse. So I have learned how to clean the line properly with a 4" cutter. We start off with a 2" then to a 3' and finally two passes with the 4" cutter cleans the line out extremely well. I had a village inspector put a camera in the line to try and prove to me that I "needed" to get the expanding cutter through. To his surprise the line was root free. Our company guarantees its power roddings of the main sewer for two years.

Now to address the roots growing in the top of the pipe here is picture showing such. And Rootx will get to the roots growing in the top since it does foam through the whole pipe.
Video_MassRoots85.jpg
Now I have seen clay sewers that are over 100 feet long trees growing around the area like a forest preserve and not a single root growing in to the drain at all. The old timers used to know how to properly install the clay pipes. The issue with the pipes installed from the late 1960's to present day is all this labor saving crap like slip-seal joints.

Some people say PVC sewer lines will never get tree roots, they lie. A fact roots grow in through the joints in the sewer pipes. Yes clay comes in 2, 4 and 6 foot long pieces. Most common is the 2 footers. So every two feet roots can grow in the pipe. Plastic SDR 26 sewer pipe comes in 13 foot lengths which roots will still grow into but much less joints for this to happen. Here is a picture of roots pulled out of a plastic sewer line.
photo1udiv3tfrf6wm.jpg


If RootX does not help we recommend to all our customer's that do not want to dig and replace the sewer to have the sewer properly rodded every two years as preventive maintenance. Just like you have to cut your lawn every two weeks. Oh another thing that can help is water your trees, get root feeders and and that and keep your trees watered. This will help the grow in the soil instead of seeking out water in the sewer pipes.
 
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Redwood

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I usually start right out with a 3-5 pear offset blade with a whip in front. I always like the idea of trying a one pass cleaning.



If it loads up with wrapped roots and stops advancing, I pull it back to clean it off and send it in again. If it won't advance and is being held back by the whip, I take off the whip. If it still won't advance I then start dropping size to get through probably down to a 3" apple.



To punch a hole then go back up to the 3-5 pear offset to complete the cleaning.

Many times I get the 3-5 pear offset to go through on the first pass.

Big Truck, I'm concerned about the dia. of those roots. They do look like they are of a size where the pipe may be damaged.

Definitely start with a once a year treatment of Root-X. I would advise you to hit it in the spring when the tree goes active again.
 
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MACPLUMB

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How to use root killer

Redwood;
i agree with your blade choices, with the whip
this was growing "outside" the pipe but grew up around the closet flange
and down inside the closet bend without showing outside the base of the toilet it grows though the wax seal,
I told Bigtruck to pack rock salt around the outside the flange, and set
new wax down to stop roots from growing back anytime soon,
By the way this is all sch. 40 sewer pipe
 
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