How Much Does it Cost to Get Roots Out of Pipes?

On the average, removing tree roots from a sewer line can be rather costly. $100 to $600 is the usual price range for having a root removed, not including the cost of replacing the damaged line afterwards. Replacing destroyed sewer lines usually costs somewhere between $50 to $250, and that’s per foot of line damaged. This can add up rather quickly, as tree roots can often branch out in a matter of weeks and create cracks or full on breaks in multiple places in your sewer system. In order to make certain the problem is taken care of for good, it’s important you act as quickly as possible to get assistance. The quicker you notice roots in your plumbing the less expensive the repair will be, it’s imperative you keep an eagle eye on any signs of roots entering your pipes.

As you may notice, this procedure can be rather costly. This is in part due to the different methods that may need to be employed to remove the offending root. Here we will go over a few different ways you may approach the removal of a root, and some pros and cons of each. 

The first option a plumber may turn to in the event of finding roots in your pipes is by using a mechanical auger. Put simply, it is a type of rotating spiral head not unlike a saw that is used to cut the roots where they protrude into the line. As you may have guessed, there is an obvious downside to choosing this, as the tree root will then be free to simply grow back and create more problems. 

The next option is the use of a hydro jet to remove the offending root. Hydro jets are powerful machines that can spray water at a pressure hard enough to blast away any debris, even roots. An added bonus hydro jetting offers over the mechanical auger is that it can then be used to flush the pipes with chemicals designed to destroy the root structure. 

Unfortunately, if the roots are too invasive there may be a third option you’ll have to consider. In events where the damage is too extensive for other methods to do the job it may be required that the tree roots be dug up manually. In this case the roots have decimated the line to the point of no return, causing it to be impossible to use the aforementioned methods to reach through the line and help with the issue.

It’s always in your best interest to hire a professional to help you when you notice signs of a root system near your pipes. This problem can quickly spiral out of control as roots are known to branch off thus causing cracks and breaks in multiple places if left unchecked.

How do you know if your main line is clogged?

How much does hydro jetting cost?