Cleaning the roots from the roof of a sewer pipe.

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Clabber

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I'm having problems with root intrusion into a sewer pipe. A few years back a clean out was installed, and I realize now it wasn't sealed properly, because the roots are growing in right at the joint of the clean out and the sewer line. I can see the root hairs from the clean out, and I've been able to rod them out before. Its a difficult turn, the clean out is angled towards the street, and limits the length of the rod I can use. I recently pulled the toilet to snake the line, its only about 2-3 feet from the toilet drain to the roots. I am only able to use the bulb cutter, anything wider and the snake gets caught and fed up the vent line.

The roots are fine hairs, and coming down from the roof of the pipe. I've dug the pipe out to cut the roots off, but what remains is causing a slow flow, and eventual clogs when enough matter is trapped. Is there anything I can do to clean the top of the pipe, or is this more something that a hydro jet would have to take care of? My only convoluted idea is to pull the snake head up through the clean out and "saw" the snake back and forth along the top of the pipe to rip the roots out.

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Dj2

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Get a pro to handle this, with the proper rooter and experience.
Then fix the connection between the clean out and the main line. A good connection should not let roots in.
 

Cacher_Chick

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If you dug the pipe up, you should have cut out that section and replaced it. A pipe with a bad joint is always going to draw in more roots.
 

Reach4

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The roots are fine hairs, and coming down from the roof of the pipe. I've dug the pipe out to cut the roots off, but what remains is causing a slow flow, and eventual clogs when enough matter is trapped. Is there anything I can do to clean the top of the pipe, or is this more something that a hydro jet would have to take care of? My only convoluted idea is to pull the snake head up through the clean out and "saw" the snake back and forth along the top of the pipe to rip the roots out.
"I've dug the pipe out to cut the roots off"... that sound like you could have fixed things up. I don't picture what you are saying. Maybe a sketch would help.

Chlorine bleach would easily kill what you can spray it on. It is very cheap. Root-X is a respected root killer that foams up and kills roots including those at the top of a pipe. Killing the tree that is sending the roots could help too.

Fixing the bad joints as suggested would be the better best, because you would not have to re-apply.
 

WorthFlorida

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The roots can also be lifting the ground and pipe thereby causing any joint to be compromised or even crack the pipe. Just something else to consider. If the pipe is cast iron or clay, remove the sections as you dig them up and replace them with PVC.
 
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