nate75

Hey yall. I've never done much drain cleaning. I always worked in new construction. Am I assuming right that roots only grow through the old terracotta pipes? Surly roots cant penetrate PVC and cast iron right?

UnclogNH

Roots can grow into PVC with Fernco's seen them grow into SDR 35 Gasketed Sewer Fittings also.

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Charging less does not mean more call volume it just means you have to work harder to reach your goals.

nate75

yeah, that makes sence. I was thinking too inside the box.

SewerRatz

Roots will grow in any pipe with a joint. That includes PVC that has been glued, cast iron with oakum and lead.

__________________
Ron Hasil Lic #058-160417
A-Archer Sewer & Plumbing specializing in:
Tankless Water Heaters | Drain and Sewer Cleaning
Sump and Ejector Pumps | Backflow RPZ Testing

Plumberologist

never seen roots in pvc that wasnt broke???

SewerRatz

I am subcontracted by some plumbers to power rod drains for them. So I used to rod this line every two years and remove roots in two spots in a 100' clay sewer. This plumber talked the home owner in replacing the sewer with PVC, they put in glued joints. All seemed well for about 5 years, the 6th year the sewr was clogged. The roots where worse in the PVC joints then they where in the clay.

I have hours on hours of footage showing roots coming in through perfectly good joints in PVC on VHS tapes.

__________________
Ron Hasil Lic #058-160417
A-Archer Sewer & Plumbing specializing in:
Tankless Water Heaters | Drain and Sewer Cleaning
Sump and Ejector Pumps | Backflow RPZ Testing

AssTyme

Got any popcorn

SewerRatz

I tell you one thing the LT1000 is a great tool, no more hours of footage to bore people with, just snap shots of the problem and e-mailed reports.

__________________
Ron Hasil Lic #058-160417
A-Archer Sewer & Plumbing specializing in:
Tankless Water Heaters | Drain and Sewer Cleaning
Sump and Ejector Pumps | Backflow RPZ Testing

Protech

I don't buy it. The only time I've ever seen roots growing into pvc is when the joints were not made up or the pipe was so close to a massive tree that the roots expanded into it and cracked it. PVC ,when installed correctly, is hermetically sealed and cannot be penetrated by roots.

Period. I dare you to prove otherwise.

Edit: I was refering to cemented joints only.

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SewerRatz

Either next dig up I do I will try to take some good pictures for you. Or I will try to locate one of the VHS tapes and get a vid capture for you. I am going to televise a line tomorrow, I know there is some PVC in the line but I think its the SDR26 push gasket.

When I first started in the drain cleaning business I thought the same, that glued joints, since a glued joint is a chemical weld. But my father corrected me in my ways of thinking. He told me if the joint is 100% perfect the roots should not get in the joint. But most joints are not 100% perfect, all it takes is a small air pocket in the joint, the roots start of finner than human hair and find their way into the joint nursing off the water and growing which in turn opens the joint up more allowing more roots in and so on.

__________________
Ron Hasil Lic #058-160417
A-Archer Sewer & Plumbing specializing in:
Tankless Water Heaters | Drain and Sewer Cleaning
Sump and Ejector Pumps | Backflow RPZ Testing