how to remove roots grown inside a water pipe?

Question

a unwanted plant has grown outside the water pipe & its roots have grown inside the pipe.

Answer 1

You will have to use a 4 inch diameter drain snake. An electric one rotates faster and saves the arm muscles!!!

Answer 2

If this is your main water line, you're probably leaking water since the line is pressurized; however, if it is a drain line, it is probably not leaking bad.

I had tree roots get into my sewer line (old black cass-iron pipe) and I dug it up, cut the roots back, and even poured cement around the joint. A year later, I had the same problem. Finally replace pipe with plastic PVC pipe and haven't had anymore problems.

Note: I also replaced my water main while I was at it.

You can call a plumber to run his snake (has a blade to cut roots) through the "DRAIN" line and clear it. But, you better set up a 6 month service call to have it done, cause that's about how long it take for them to plug the drain again. The tree root chemical for drain you can buy at the home improvement stores will slow down the process to about a year.

Happy diggin'

Answer 3

call roto-rooter. they will put a device in there that travels down the pipe. it has rotating blades that cut the roots. then, you need to kill the plant.

you could buy the device yourself, but it is expensive, and for using one time, it is cheaper to get roto-rooter. or you could dig up the pipe, and chip a hole it, and remove the roots yourself, then put a patch over the hole. another alternative is, buy a sewer tape, run it down the pipe, assuming that you have a clean out hole accesable. the sewer tape would cost as much as roto-rooter + its a messy job.