It's a long story but basically main sewer line got backed up. Roto rooter was able to snake it considering there was a pee trap buried under the foundation but weren't able to send a camera past the pee rrap. They pulled out some tree roots and baby wipes.im guessing the baby wipes got trapped in the roots. It's a 3 family house fully occupied. I contacted the previous owner and he said he had this issue 17 years ago and he recommends I do not run a new line to bypass the pee trap and the roots. roto rooter recommends to core a 5 inch hole and dig the outside of my hoise send the camera in and install new sdr piping where the roots are. They quoted me at 9k I got them down to 7700$. Should I just risk it and clean the pipe every year or when there is backups or should I prevent future issues and have them complete the job. Thanks so much.

 

In my experience, tree root problems will only get worse as time goes on. If the tree roots are only in one area, replace just that area w/SDR. (keep in mind tree roots can travel quite a distance) Otherwise, replace the whole line. Good luck- Steve

 

If the last time it clogged was 17 years ago I would be inclined to not replace the line. I would impress on all three families what items can and those that should not go into the sewer. Things like feminine products, baby wipes and kitchen grease are very good at causing clogs. If clogging re-occurs then I would assess the situation at that time. If it's only happening every 10-15 years it's hard to justify the cost of a new line but if it happens every couple years then I'd consider replacing the line.

 

I should note that roto rooter was only able to use a 2" blade to clean the pipe. A larger blade on the snake won't get past the buried pee trap. They couldn't do a complete cleaning with the smaller blade.

 

Did someone do a cursory examination of the material that the Roto-Rooter cut out . . . . disgusting as it may be.

Was there root tissue removed ?

If so, then there can be no alternative to, at some point in the future, locating the cracks or breaks in the pipe or pipe joints through which they are entering, and replacing those sections . . . . otherwise, they'll just get larger and the blockages will become more frequent.

 

Does 7700$ seem too high to replace the underground piping? Or is that standard pricing for a project like this?

 

The big question is how long do you plan on keeping the house? If it is 15-20 years or longer, I would have the sewer line dug up and replaced. Which "should" be cheaper than Roto-Rooter's fix, depending on the distance of the line. That way it's repaired once and for all, and you won't have to call Roto-Rooter again.

 

I would wait until there's no frost in the ground and no snow above . . . . but then again, it may not even be an issue for you as I have no idea regarding what State or Province you're in, or the distance between your foundation wall and the Municipal Sewer Line.

 

One compromise approach you might take is to have a clean out installed just outside your house. This would allow snaking the line after the P trap and also allow them to work outside the home. It would require digging down to the drain line but it could be a relatively small hole.

 

Yes they will install a new clean out on the outside of the house. I got them down to 7,000$ and they will replace all cast iron piping in the basement. I'm going to have them complete the job.

 

Is it standard procedure to install a back-flow preventer to prevent the municipal sanitary sewage line from flowing back, just in case it is inundated with storm sewer run-off ?

 

The current setup has a vent pipe that goes out side. Roto rooter is telling me that the new install doesnt need a vent pipe. Are they correct?

 

That depends on what vent pipe they are referring to. All homes have a vent system inside the home. Main drain lines exiting the home generally do not have them.

 

I would get a second opinion and estimates from another company or two before I would let Roto Rooter do any work.

 

Again; what's the length of this drain line in need of replacement ?

I can still rent a Backhoe for less than $60.00 an hour; with an operator for less than $100, and you can knock out a few hundred feet in less than the ½ Day minimum.

 

I would definitely get a second quote. I've found RotoRooter to be sometimes competitively priced, other times, not so much. $7K sounds like it's on the high side, but it of course depends the length, depth, and what else might be in the way.