Sewer Back Up/ Pipe Relining Question
We recently bought a new home. It is a two level single family home. The home is on a hill, and we have large trees in the backyard. During the first week after we moved in water backed up in the laundry room on the lower level, when a family member was taking bath in the bathroom upstairs. We contacted the home warranty company. The plumber ran cable to clear stoppage in the sewer line, but water backed up again the next day, when the toilet in the same bath was flushed. The plumber came back, ran cable again, and this time he said the stoppage is due to roots, therefore the warranty company would not cover it. We had sewer inspected before we bought the home. Actually, we paid the guy for a second visit as well to complete inspection as he could not find a suitable cleanout to cover the whole length of the sewer line the first time. Still he missed a section, which happens to be the main sewer line for the whole upper level of the home! We asked the guy who performed the inspection to come over. He ran a camera and found that there were roots near a test tee just before a clay pipe section outside home. The roots are from a hedge about 4 feet away from the structure, between patio and deck. He hydro jetted with a small jetter in his truck and claimed to have cleared the roots. According to him the problem was taken care of for now and we need not worry for another two-three years. It was clear that hydro jetting is not a permanent solution. When we pressed him for a permanent solution, he suggested that we reline the 4 inch clay pipe with a fiber glass lining. He would remove about 6 tiles on the patio, dig up, remove the test tee and install a 27 feet fiber glass lining covering the clay pipe. This would cost us $4,000 and he would install a cleanout as well near where he would dig up, so that supposing we have a problem due to roots in the backyard in the future, water would at least not back up in the home. Supposing he had to only remove the test tee and install a clean out there (no relining) it would cost $1,200. (We would still have to continue to take care of the roots, but supposing sewer backed up again, it would be outside the home in this case.) We would have to get the tiles replaced by someone else in both the cases, and that cost is not included in these estimates. We contacted a couple of other plumbers for estimates, and other approaches to solving the problem permanently. They ran camera as well, and we found out that the hydro jetting by our inspector had removed roots only at one place (near the tee before the clay pipe), but there is another place in the clay pipe where roots from the same hedge are intruding, and would require immediate attention. Most of the sewer line in the backyard was replaced with ABS during the past 10 years, but it seems this section was not, as it passed under the patio, through a small retaining wall, and under the deck. The 4 inch clay pipe is actually in a very good shape, except for the root intrusions from the hedge in the couple of places. One plumber suggested that we hydro jet again, this time with a more powerful (4,000 PSI) jetter, and remove the roots completely. We would then not have to worry about the roots for 2-3 years. We can follow up, if we want, with a rootx treatment every year. According to him, there is no need to reline the pipe at this time. He quoted $300 for hydro jetting. The other plumber specializes in relining. He provided an estimate for $3,200 to reline 27 feet of 4 inch clay pipe. This would be for felt lining (not fiber glass) and since they would be digging away from patio (at the other end of the clay pipe, down the slope), the patio would remain intact. The tee, in this case, would not be removed, but will be capped. (The lining would be inserted from the lower end of the pipe in this case, just to be clear.) We negotiated the price down to $2,200, and he would also install a cleanout where he will dig. Following the backups, we had the affected drywalls, baseboards and carpet padding removed, and the area completely dried up. That cost us $1,200. (There was no mold.) We still have the drywalls, carpet padding etc., not replaced, as we need to take care of the roots first. I need your help in deciding whether to cut cost, spend just $300 and stop at hydro jetting at this time, or spend $2,200 for felt lining, OR consider other better alternative. We have just bought the home, so there are quite a few other projects competing for money. On the other hand, we cannot take another round of sewer backup, so a permanent solution which does not cost arm and length would be golden. I also have a question regarding felt relining. Supposing we opt for that option, could there be any issue with high pressure hydro jetting, if we have a roots/stoppage problem in any other sections of the sewer line (The rest of the sewer line in the backyard seems to be of ABS; I am told that felt lining cannot withstand hydro jetting above 1,500 PSI. At that level, does hydro jetting even work?) My last question is about home insurance coverage - would any of these costs be covered by the home insurance? I am under the impression that root issues are usually not covered by home insurance, also not sure whether the insurance company would actually pay for pipe relining. I do not think it would be a good idea to approach the insurance company for small expenses. Any thoughts? I'm sorry I only had the attention to lightly skim your post. Jetting clay pipe can be dangerous and can easily damage the pipe and as you suspect is probably a temporary solution as the roots will just grow back. There are chemicals you can put down the drain line to kill the roots. It will take regular treatments to kill the roots again and again as they grow back and it does nothing to address the holes and cracks that are allowing the roots in in the first place. Lining is an option but in my area it is much more common to just dig up the pipe and replace with PVC. It tears up the yard but it's cheap and fast and provides a permanent solution with the job often completed in half a day. Lining is a good option and does work. It's just expensive by comparison unless there is a big reason not to dig. Lawns are easily and inexpensively repaired. Even concrete driveways are easy to cut a strip out, dig and then repair. Lining is only done in my area for higher end homes where the owner is willing to pay $'$$$ to save the landscaping. IMO if the pipe is in good shape as you say, just jet it... Make sure they camera after to be sure the roots are gone. And they do not really need to be all gone, but it depends on how bad it is...... Next most definitely apply root x.... And yes every year. Must be applied properly. RootX is the simple, effective and proven solution for sewer root control I would only jet the line. If you send a mechanical cutting blade down there, thats what, more often then not, damages clay pipe.
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