If you have older sewer pipes (made from cast iron or clay) and are experiencing sewer line problems such as slowed drains, visible sinkholes, and unpleasant odors, the problems are most likely due to your sewer lines being encroached by tree roots.

If you clear a sewer clog, but the water doesn’t drain as well as it should, you most likely have tree roots in your sewer lines.

Do you have trees growing near your sewer lines? Contact sewer cleaning companies in your area and ask them to undertake sewer camera inspection and determine the cause of the recurring backups.

If the technicians confirm you have tree roots growing in your sewer lines, you should move with haste and get rid of them so you can restore your lines. Are you wondering how to get rid of roots in the sewer line? There are plenty of ways to do it. Read on:

Cut out the roots

This is often the easiest way of getting rid of the roots. You can cut the roots using a mechanical auger, which is a cable with a special root cutting attachment at the end.

You feed the cable into the sewer line, and it spins while the root cutting blades cut the roots. Depending on how big the roots were, you might need to flush out the resulting debris.

While this method is effective, it’s often temporary as the roots often grow back due to the presence of breaks and cracks in your sewer line.

Use hydro jetting

From its name, this process involves the use of water at high pressure. Get a hydro jet and pump water at extremely high pressures to the affected sewer lines, and the high pressure will get rid of the roots.

Like when using a mechanical auger, this method is also temporary as you still have sewer pipe cracks and breaks from where other roots can get into the sewer line.

This method is also limited as it can only get rid of roots that are weak enough to be washed away by the high pressure.

Hydro jetting is expensive, so only go with it after you have confirmed the roots in your sewer lines are small enough to be removed by the water.

Use salts

One of the most popular salts you can use is copper sulfate. To get rid of the roots, get two pounds of copper sulfate. Take half a pound of the salt and put it in the toilet, and flush. Continue flushing until the entire salt is gone.

For best results, repeat this process at least three more times. Avoid using the toilet for at least 8 hours to give room for the chemical to work.

While this method is highly effective, you should use it with caution as it can kill the entire tree and other plants growing nearby.

When going for this method, you should note that it works best with smaller roots and root hairs. It won’t work if the roots are more established.

Replace the sewer pipe

If you have been ignoring sewer line problems for a long time, chances are you have extensive tree roots that are impossible to remove by cutting, using hydro-jet, or chemicals.

What is the only left option? Replace the sewer pipe.

If you have done all of the above and none is working, contact drain contractors to inspect the damage’s extent. If the roots are too established, there is no point in wasting time and money attempting to eliminate the roots.

Work with the contractors and find the best quality sewer pipes you can install in your home. Replacing the sewer pipes isn’t cheap, so be ready to part with a substantial amount of money. You also should work with expert drain technicians who will get the work done perfectly.

When installing the new sewer pipes, install them away from trees to prevent the same problem from coming about later on.