# Roots



## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Doing a preventive drain cleaning of the laundry/kitchen line, ran the cable into the main a bit. This is what came back.


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

It's rare, but sometimes way back in the day they actually ran clay tile under the house. Without a video inspection that's my first clue. Just did a 3" floor drain for one of my college property management companies a week or so ago. I was working for my Master at the moment and all he carries on his truck is a vee. Cabled it a bunch of times, tons of roots! Told them I need to come back with the bigger machine during turnover and do it right, but at least they're up and running.

I remember those damn pepper trees when I lived in IB and worked the southern half of San Diego county. Just as bad as willow trees.


----------



## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

OpenSights said:


> It's rare, but sometimes way back in the day they actually ran clay tile under the house. Without a video inspection that's my first clue. Just did a 3" floor drain for one of my college property management companies a week or so ago. I was working for my Master at the moment and all he carries on his truck is a vee. Cabled it a bunch of times, tons of roots! Told them I need to come back with the bigger machine during turnover and do it right, but at least they're up and running.
> 
> I remember those damn pepper trees when I lived in IB and worked the southern half of San Diego county. Just as bad as willow trees.


Definitely a cast iron branch line until it hits the cast main line, then probably a foot more before it changes to clay through the front yard. I'll run the camera one of these days. The key detail I left out is this is my house and I don't feel like working for free.


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Debo22 said:


> Definitely a cast iron branch line until it hits the cast main line, then probably a foot more before it changes to clay through the front yard. I'll run the camera one of these days. The key detail I left out is this is my house and I don't feel like working for free.


Don't get me started about my house! Been here three years, if it's draining it's good for now. Remodel happening soon. My main is 4' long and ties into a "atiquited" city sewer. Last blockage I hit was 98'.


----------



## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

4' in to a shower drain, last week.


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Story time. La Jolla, IIRC, elderly couple had their main backed up. Had to pull the stool, city was maybe 60', 70' from the flange. Mytana? A slead anyway. 3/4 cable, 3 hours to get it open (this was about six months into the trade with two weeks of training till I went on my own, even for plumbing), two hours of cleaning the mess. Two FULLY PACKED 5 gallon buckets of roots. At the end I asked them the usual questions. They lived there for 50+ years, and this was the first time their main ever backed up. Gigantic pepper tree sitting, my guess, right on top of the line.


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Debo22 said:


> Doing a preventive drain cleaning of the laundry/kitchen line, ran the cable into the main a bit. This is what came back.


BTW, if this is your house, who in the heck is flushing wipes?!:blink:


----------



## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

OpenSights said:


> BTW, if this is your house, who in the heck is flushing wipes?!:blink:


No wipes, that's a dirty rag next to the foot switch


----------



## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

OpenSights said:


> Debo22 said:
> 
> 
> > Doing a preventive drain cleaning of the laundry/kitchen line, ran the cable into the main a bit. This is what came back.
> ...



I have customers tell me with a strait face "The package says flushable"

Like I don't do this every day


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Fatpat said:


> I have customers tell me with a strait face "The package says flushable"
> 
> Like I don't do this every day


I tell people "grab a package of socks, I'll write 'flushable' on it with my sharpie... doesn't mean they are."


----------



## HonestPlumb (Jan 25, 2015)

My favorite, is when you arrive at main stoppage, and you ask "Did anything other than toilet paper get flushed" they answer, "Oh never, we are very careful about that !". You run it, pull back about 15-20 "Little White Mice". "Oh dear, I better have a talk with my daughter". "Yep, you might want to do that !!


----------



## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Or when you pull those mice, have the talk with them 
and two months later the mice are back.

They breed that fast?


----------



## Buddy (Oct 25, 2009)

Not exactly how accurate this is but when I first started to clean sewers my boss told me that the tree roots will grow out horizontally only as far out as the longest branch,which is called the "Dew" line. I still refer to that when eye balling a clogged sewer to determine if the tree in the front yard is causing the problem. Again do not know if this is totally accurate. Also when the homeowner has a clog for the very first time and the I drive down the street a month later and see the beautiful tree leveled to the ground and nothing but the stump left. Wildlife and all gone. At least wait and see if the problem recurs again before taking it out on the tree


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

...Or when you go to a college house full of boys and you let them know you pulled back sewer mice and to expect a bill. They laugh and say "Not from this house, all guys." I always say "Do any of you have girlfriends?" Best response I've ever heard was "Not anymore!!"


----------



## Roto-Rooter (Jan 31, 2015)

How about when you pull a rubber out and the "guy" says "What's that" You tell him it's a condom and he says " I never use those"


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Roto-Rooter said:


> How about when you pull a rubber out and the "guy" says "What's that" You tell him it's a condom and he says " I never use those"


I learned early on to cut them off and not pull them off my cable. Pull 'em and you get who knows what in your eye....


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Double tap...


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Buddy said:


> Not exactly how accurate this is but when I first started to clean sewers my boss told me that the tree roots will grow out horizontally only as far out as the longest branch,which is called the "Dew" line. I still refer to that when eye balling a clogged sewer to determine if the tree in the front yard is causing the problem. Again do not know if this is totally accurate. Also when the homeowner has a clog for the very first time and the I drive down the street a month later and see the beautiful tree leveled to the ground and nothing but the stump left. Wildlife and all gone. At least wait and see if the problem recurs again before taking it out on the tree


I've heard that too. I have a customer who's a botinest? who says the same thing. Unfortunately he didn't realize the one tree that sold him on the house was the same city tree planted directly on top of his clay main line. Video/cable he has a six month warranty with me after six months of the big dog plumbing company in town cabling and videoing once a month for the previous six months. 

This is my kind of advertising. Repeat and referral. I got two more customers just from him within 2 months. I just hope referrals stop when I'm busy enough and don't need employees.


----------

