Tree Roots in Sewer Lines: What to Do (and What Not To)

Roots in the Pipe: Your Action Plan

Discovering roots in your sewer line is stressful — but it is also one of the most solvable sewer problems, if you address the pipe and not just the roots.

Step 1: Confirm with a camera

Slow drains plus big trees nearby strongly suggest roots, but only video confirms it — and shows where they enter and how bad the pipe damage is. $150–$400 well spent.

Step 2: Cut them out professionally

Mechanical root cutters or hydro jetting shred the intrusion and restore flow ($200–$600). This buys time — typically 12–18 months before significant regrowth.

Step 3: Fix the entry point — this is the step most people skip

Roots entered through a defect: a joint, a crack, a gap. Until that defect is sealed — via spot repair, sectional lining, or full lining — every cutting is temporary. The permanent fix costs more once but ends the cycle.

What NOT to do

• Don't rely on chemical root killers alone. Copper sulfate slows regrowth but never repairs the pipe.
• Don't cut down a healthy tree reflexively. A root-proof pipe and a tree coexist fine.
• Don't ignore it. Root masses catch debris until the line blocks completely — usually at the worst possible moment.

Prevention going forward

Keep new large trees 20+ feet from the line path, consider root barriers for prized trees near the lateral, and schedule annual camera checks if your pipe is older clay.

Suspect roots? Call (833) 713-2101 — we will show you exactly what is in your pipe and lay out temporary and permanent options with honest pricing.

Related Services

• Sewer Line Cleaning
• Pipe Lining

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