Hidden Plumbing Problems: What to Look for

How to Eliminate a Tree Root Problem With Hydro Jetting and Prevention Techniques

27 August 2020

Herbert Chambers

If your toilet or tub drain is clogged up, the problem might be with the sewer line. Tree roots are common reasons for sewer line clogs, and the roots can be a nuisance since they keep growing back after you remove them. Here's how you can get tree roots out of your sewer pipe and keep them away.

Hydro Jetting Removes Tree Roots From Your Pipes

If the sewer line is clogged and affecting your toilets or drains, call a plumber to get rid of the roots so your plumbing starts working right away. The plumber may use a hydro jet to cut through tree roots. The advantage of using a hydro jet over a drain snake is that the hydro jet uses a strong spray of water that reaches all sides of the pipe to remove every bit of the roots. A major problem with tree roots is that they are drawn to your sewer line for nutrients and water, so the roots may eventually return after the hydro jetting is done. This is a problem with old plumbing pipes made of metal or clay that have joints in them that allow vapors to escape. The vapors attract tree roots that work their way through the joints and start filling the pipe. If you don't find a permanent solution for the root problem, you can have a plumber use a hydro jet on your sewer line every time it fills with roots again. You might need to have the line cleaned out every few years.

Root Killers May Solve the Problem

Root killers don't work fast enough to clear out a clog, but they might be useful at killing off roots when they're first starting and at keeping them away. You can buy tree root killer at a hardware store and pour it down your toilet so it goes in the sewer line. Read the labels before you buy a product since you want something that kills the roots but that doesn't harm the tree. Also, you want something that doesn't harm the pipe.

Removing the Tree is a Possible Option

One way to eliminate a root problem permanently is to remove the tree from your yard. That might be a drastic measure, especially if you love the tree and the shade it provides. Cutting down the tree isn't enough. The stump has to be removed along with the roots or the roots may keep growing. Getting rid of the tree, stump, and roots could be expensive and a big undertaking, so an alternative way to deal with the roots could be better.

Pipe Lining Can Block the Roots

You can also block the roots so they can't get in the pipe. One option is to bury a wood or concrete barrier underground that runs along the sewer line and that's several inches deeper.

A better way might be to block the roots with a pipe liner. A contractor can pull a liner through the pipe that hardens into a continuous pipe that has no joints or seams. There's no way for the roots to get in and block your drain once a liner is in place.

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