At least twice a year we have a backup in basement. The backup is everything for us flushing,running water, washing clothes. We have a someone come out every time and snake out the pipes. They all ways getting the trees roots when they did that.

Any ideas how we can keep the trees roots clear so we don't get the mess in the basement? We just got it done at around christmas of 2007 and now it is backing up again.

A electric rotor will clear it out, but the roots will merely grow back. There are some root products.

If you dig out the damaged pipe ( where roots are growing in) replace it, and place salt all around that area of the pipe, it will stop it for a long long time.

What Fr_Chuck said and cut down the tree.