A couple of months ago, I posted a plumbing problem where the basement drain was backing up. The plumber came out and said it was the kitchen line that was clogged and cleared it and that seemed to do the trick. This past week, it happened again after heavy rains with much more damage to my finished basement. The plumber came out again, but this time he said it was a root problem and cleared it to some degree. He said it was still about 70% blocked and needed to have the lines cleared and scoped for cracks in the line... all for a $971 fee... of course this is in addition to the $500 I've paid to have the lines cleared twice. After reading several posts on this site about other's root problems, I bought and used Root Killer.

With that being said, I have a couple of questions... :confused:
1. Should the lines be cleared as an initial step then use the root killer for maintenance purposes?
2. Should I repeat the process in about a month or so to ensure that the roots have been removed? And if so, would it damage the lines?
3. Do the roots pass through the lines after they have been killed... in other words, how do the killed roots get removed from the lines?
4. If the lines need to be snaked again, is this something that I can do on my own?

I'm sorry for all of the questions...

Thanks in advance for the info..
Rita.

You can always rent a snake and do the job yourself but it does take some energy to do it. I noticed your name was Rita and I do not know if this job would be to hard for a female to do. You will have to decide that. Some rental snakes come with 10 foot sections that are 1 1/2 inch dia wire. It is a lot for me to handle sometimes. If you can find a self fed 3/4 inch snake then it might be easier.

I had this problem years ago I snaked the drain 4 times over 2 years and the roots kept coming back. I finally cut down the offending tree and the problem went away. I tried soda ash (you need a license to buy) and also root killer. Nothing seemed to work. The roots find there way into the pipe through the hub connector that is packed with okum and a concrete cap. Once the lines get old cracks form in the bell cap and trees naturally seek the drains source of water. You might try your hand at the snake thing or have a male friend help. It sometime takes some strength to get it to go through. Find the tree that is causing the problem and remove it. Your troubles will go away. There are many other ideas but they all cost big $$. A friend of mine now has a reline machine that actually relines the old sewer drain with plastic but it costs a bunch. His system is still cheaper and less destructive that digging the old line up. Good luck.

Good morning Rita,

What material are the sewer pipes made of? Ask the plumber exactly where he ran into the roots. If it was out at the city raiser,( where your sewer connects to the city main) where most roots get in then it might just be a simple job of digging up the raiser and making a new cement and oakum joint as HVAC has already pointed out. His suggestion about cutting down any tree that grows over the sewer line is a good one that should be checked out.

Let me address your questions.

1. Should the lines be cleared as an initial step then use the root killer for maintenance purposes?
Yes, the line should be cleared of roots so it's usable. Then root killer can be added to keep it clear. (More about root killer later).

2. Should I repeat the process in about a month or so to ensure that the roots have been removed? And if so, would it damage the lines?
It depends on the brand of root killer that you use. The root killer I'm going to recommend is a every 6 months application.

3. Do the roots pass through the lines after they have been killed... in other words, how do the killed roots get removed from the lines?
If you clear the line of roots first and then use root killer to keep it clear of roots then you shouldn't have any roots to worry about.

4. If the lines need to be snaked again, is this something that I can do on my own?
Yes if you have a friend or neighbor with a few muscles. Go down to your local Rent All and rent a Ridgid K-60 Sewer Machine or equivalent. Make surethey furnish you with a cutter tip. A spade tip and a auger tip. If you decide to tackle this yourself and need instructions just click on backi.

For immediate relief and to kill the existing roots and prevent further growth you can purchase RootX or Robics Foaming Root Killer that contain Dichlobrnic.
A less expensive way would be to call around to garden supply stores and ask for fine grain Copper Sulphate. Put a 1/2 pound in your toilet and flush it down. Repeat in 6 months.
Good luck, Tom

''Make surethey furnish you with a cutter tip. A spade tip and a auger tip.''

Let me expand on that. The sewer machine comes with different tips to solve different problems. You may need to start with one of the other tips, but you must run a cutter tip the size of your pipe out through the roots. The cutter tip is sort of a round band with sharpened edges. As you force it into the roots, it keeps cutting more and more off them until the outside edge cuts everything off flush with the side of the pipe. Some of them have several fingers and are open at the leading edge. Which ever, it must be as big as the pipe. Newer houses have a full sized cleanout outside near the foundation.

If you decide you are not up to the job, a sewer cleaning specialist may be cheaper than a plumber. They only need to know and have the equipment for sewer cleaning. I have had good luck with RotoRouter.

Your drainfeild is clogged. The soild can no longer handle waste and is more or less just a heavily matted compaction.
1) slow down on water usage
2) Septic Tank Treatment - Specialized septic tank treatment products septic tank treatment (buy it and eat the money, it works)
3) stop using anti bacterials
4) re-route clothes washer to the yard until the septic system is running right

Good luck