Sewers
Does a water softener help keeps roots out of sewer line?
I have read information about rock salt helping to keep roots from growing in sewer sewer line, or copper sulfate which is also a salt. Would installing a water softener help to keep roots from growing in a sewer line? I would think it would work if you set the softener to discharge late a night so that the salty water had a chance to work on the roots.
Public Comments
- Yes, salt will kill plants. But copper sulfate is what people use to kill the roots in sewer lines.
- No...water softner will not keep roots out...If roots have violated your sewer line..about all you can do is to replace the line..You just can't get rid of them in any other way...I worked with contractor who installed & serviced sewer & water lines..Once a tiny root gets inside the line..it just keeps growing & growing..We replaced some lines where Roto-Rooter had lost his cable..due to the tangle..Old lines..tile & concrete usually failed at the joints..In the 60's a popular product was "Orangeburg" pipe..made of compressed cardboard & tar..Now many of those have failed or are failing..& need to be replaced..The Most approved product now is Schedule 40 PVC pipe. The only safe bet is to install a new line..from the house footings (where iron pipe ends) & go to the mail sewer..& cement & epoxy a new fitting to the sewer main.
- Nothing short of calling RotoRooter and drilling those roots out will keep them out of a sewer line, and that too is only for a while. Copper Sulphate doesnt work, that is because your sewer is pitched and the water drains downward so fast that the Copper Sulphate has no time to react with the roots. Salt, will do noting to those roots. I question whether or not you even have roots in your sewer line. Most sewer lines are at least 8 feet deep underground, and tree roots do not go down that deep.. You probably have an older tile sewer and one of those tiles has shifted about causing a cave in of the line. If you have a septic system, those can be penetrated by tree roots quite easily, there is no solution other than cutting down trees such as sugar maples which have a tendency to do this this.
