Topics
Tree roots
How roots get in, root killers and what to plant. 4 items, each with key facts and sources.
- How tree roots get into sewer lines
Roots do not break into sound pipe. They find the vapor escaping from a cracked or loose joint, grow in through the gap, and widen it until the pipe can fail.
- Copper sulfate and foaming root killers: what the labels allow
Sewer root killers are registered pesticides, and using one against its label breaks federal law. The labels limit how often, where, and in which states they may be used.
- Which trees to keep away from a sewer line
A university extension list of the large, fast, aggressive-rooted species to keep off the lateral, plus the 10-foot planting rule and why no tree is truly safe.
- Why roots come back after the line is cleared
Clearing a root clog trims what is inside the pipe and leaves the crack or joint that let it in. The fixes that end the cycle all deal with that opening.