Leaking Sewer Line - 4 wks After Cleaning

[Toefuzz]

We had our main sewer line cleaned about 4 weeks ago (was leaking) and were told that best case scenario, we'd be replacing the line next fall. Worst case scenario is that it would start leaking in a few weeks and we'd have to replace the line in the near future. Fast forward a few weeks and my lovely wife surprised me with a leaking sewer line the minute I set foot in the door. The plumber pulled out a rather surprising amount of roots last time he was here and does not install the new sewer lines so I'm afraid I'll have to take his recommendation. Still, I know a lot of people who have cleaned their lines once every year or two and never had to replace a line. I'm really hoping to avoid the expense of replacing the sewer. Is it worth it to have the line scoped to see what the actual problem is? Is there anything I can do besides have this guy come and clean the lines again? Should I be approaching this differently?

[Randyj]

If you have it scoped then you know what/where the problem is. If you have it replaced then you have the problem fixed and can rest with no real worry.

[Cass]

Depending on where you live you can expect to pay +/- $200.00 for a camera job.

I have heard, but am not sure, that the infamous plumbing company called Ro*o Roo*er does camera work for free hoping to get the replacement job.

[hj]

A "leaking sewer", whatever that means, and a plugged sewer are two different things, (although the former would indicate the latter), and have two different cures. Unless you have giant weeping willow trees in the yard right over the sewer, the roots would not have grown back that quickly, so the implication is that even though he removed a lot of roots, he did not get all of them cleared out. In fact, when I clear a root infested sewer, I hardly ever bring ANY of them back. They all flush into the main when the backed up water breaks through.

[Toefuzz]

Thanks for the responses all...

HJ - the Cleanout 'Y' is leaking on our main drain line. Given the local weather (freezing!), I can't imagine roots having grown back this fast. I think I'll have a different person clean the lines and see what they have to say. I'm wondering if maybe the line itself has a break in it, which could be why the previous cleaner brought the tree roots back into the basement.

[The old college try]

Do you know the age of the pipe? Old clay pipes tend to become fragile and will eventually develop holes in them allowing dirt to fall in a plug up the pipe. I recently came across a small engineering project at work where we were looking at the option of relining a sewer that is in poor condition. My understanding is that a sock is placed in the pipe and soaked with an epoxy to essentially create a pipe within a pipe. I'm not sure how the cost compares to trenching it out, but if you have alot of landscaping or walks that you don't want to rip up this would be an option to possibly consider. I'm assuming that the downside would be that the roots that are currently attacking your pipe would not be removed.

[toolaholic]

Make sure up front You'll be given a copy to keep!

excavate and repair root area. Otherwise clean roots the rest of your life.
You'll be glad You repaired it.