# 40' root removal!



## AndersenPlumbing (Jan 23, 2010)

Yesterday we were called out to a house that had a clogged drain tile. When we arrived it appeared that the drain tile exit (near a pond and a willow tree) had dirt and debris blocking it. We got a shovel to dig it out, that's when we found out it was really a big root mass growing up into the pipe! After chopping it off we were able to grab it with channel locks (two guys pulling as hard as possible) and pull it out of the pipe. It was 40' long and 6" in diameter!!!

All was going great till we camera'd the line and found the roots heavily grown in the drain tile up by the house. The last pic is about 40' away from the house where they stuffed 4" corrugated into 6" SDR. We couldn't jet it any further.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Well that settles the issue once and for all. Sectionals and drums are just arguing over second place to ChannelLocks. :laughing: 

Good job Andersen! :thumbup:


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Does anyone use dishwasher soap to help with pulling a large root mass? 

I had a guy show me this when I was still a young journeyman. It made a foamy mess but it worked well


----------



## 1929chrysler (Jul 10, 2012)

MTDUNN said:


> Does anyone use dishwasher soap to help with pulling a large root mass?
> 
> I had a guy show me this when I was still a young journeyman. It made a foamy mess but it worked well


Yes. It works well.


----------



## ironandfire (Oct 9, 2008)

That's huge !


----------



## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

MTDUNN said:


> Does anyone use dishwasher soap to help with pulling a large root mass? I had a guy show me this when I was still a young journeyman. It made a foamy mess but it worked well


Could you elaborate I have not heard of that before

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Unclog1776 said:


> Could you elaborate I have not heard of that before Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


A good drain cleaner knows when he hits roots. If it's hard to pull out, pour a bottle of dawn into the cleanout to lube the roots so they slip out easier.


----------



## 1929chrysler (Jul 10, 2012)

Unclog1776 said:


> Could you elaborate I have not heard of that before
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


The soap acts like a lubricant... Here, three inch clean-outs on soil stacks are common. So if you are cabling a six inch line three a three inch c/o, it's possible to pull a massive root ball back to where the six to three transition occurs. It's often very difficult to pull this root ball back through the three inch line so adding liquid detergent with water helps to slip it through the smaller diameter line. 

Of course the line should be flowing so the water can carry the detergent to where the root ball is getting stuck.

Plus it makes the sewer smell like clean dishes!!:laughing:


----------



## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

1929chrysler said:


> The soap acts like a lubricant... Here, three inch clean-outs on soil stacks are common. So if you are cabling a six inch line three a three inch c/o, it's possible to pull a massive root ball back to where the six to three transition occurs. It's often very difficult to pull this root ball back through the three inch line so adding liquid detergent with water helps to slip it through the smaller diameter line. Of course the line should be flowing so the water can carry the detergent to where the root ball is getting stuck. Plus it makes the sewer smell like clean dishes!!:laughing:


Very interesting. We run into that problem constantly here as well, mostly 3 inch access. Will have to try that next time. Makes perfect sense but I never would have thought of that nor have I heard of anyone using it in the field

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Unclog1776 said:


> Very interesting. We run into that problem constantly here as well, mostly 3 inch access. Will have to try that next time. Makes perfect sense but I never would have thought of that nor have I heard of anyone using it in the field
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


 Same idea with elecrictians using lube to pull wires inside concuit..


----------



## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

That's unbelievable. Nice job. 
Now I'm not so proud of my 12 footer. Lol


----------



## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

That is impressive!


----------

