OT tree roots in drain field

bill b va · May 25, 2015

whats a good product to kill tree roots in drain field lines ? my daughter has a leaking drain field and there is trees and brush growing there . i told her the trees and brush has to go or it will only get worse .she bought the house about 3 years ago and the house inspector should have seen a potential problem even if it wasn't leaking at the time . i suspect the drain lines are the plastic corrgated type that can't be rotorooted . all advice and help will be appreciated..........thanks bill

Michael Soldan · May 25, 2015

If the drains are partly blocked by roots already you may have to dig up and clean them. I believe Copper sulphate will destroy roots and I have been told if you run a copper wire in your drain pipe in the weeping bed , roots will not grow there. I know there are commercial products on the market for roots, maybe check with a plumbing firm.

notjustair · May 25, 2015

The problem will be getting any product to the lateral field. A lot of that stuff is heavy enough to sink in the septic tank and not go on through. She's probably better off killing the brush with Tordon and then hopefully the roots will rot. I see a backhoe in her future.

Geo-TH,In · May 25, 2015

If roots are in a plastic finger system, the best thing is to add more fingers where tree roots can't get to.

Hoenes · May 25, 2015

Flush some "rock salt" once a week.

Steve@Advance · May 25, 2015

If it's still working, you'll need to dig right behind the last septic tank and install a chemical feed pipe. Just a tee in the lateral line with a 2" riser to the surface with a removable cap. Then pour in some copper sulfate granules about once a month or so, probably a cup full would do. That way the chemical goes only to the lateral lines, not through the septic tanks.

You don't want to put anything in the septic tanks! Not only will it not do any good, but it may kill the bacteria that is necessary for the tanks to work. That includes bleach, toilet cleaner, anything not approved for septic tanks.

Hobo,NC · May 25, 2015

A good Hoe operator can dig up the drain field and never mess with the rock below it, he can just skim over the top of the pipe are lift it out for you.

I would find someone that can do just that and be done with it...
You could kill every tree/scrub/bush with end 100 yards of it if there is a place a root can get in a root will find it...

Roots can be as fine as frog hair those are the trouble makers...

Dusty MI · May 26, 2015

In this area when the Health Department lays out a new septic system, they require the area for the leach bed to be twice as large as needed. Then when/if the leach bed becomes plugged then you put in a second leach bed with a diverter valve and use the second bed. Then by the time the second bed becomes on useable the first one has cleared itself out, so you switch back to it.
In this case you would have removed the trees when the second bed was put in.

ed will · May 26, 2015

Bill b, I don't think the drrain field is the corrigated
type. At least in canada it is not approved.anything
to do with govt or public health mut be better quality
ed will. Dig down and see. I would guess pvc.

SDE · May 26, 2015

ROEBIC K-77
Destroys roots
Active ingredient: Copper sulfate pentahydrate 99%

I have used this for awhile now. Before this I would need to uncover my first tank ever two years to remove the fine tree roots.

showcrop · May 26, 2015

Drain or Leach fields have a "distribution box" where the effluent enters the field. The effluent flows from the tank to the "D" box which sits perfectly level and divides the flow between the 3-6 pipes that distribute the effluent throughout the field. The box has a cover that just lifts off. That is where the treatment of choice should be added. Has she had it pumped? Or does she have a receipt for pumping before she bought it? If not she is going to need to replace it, because it is in failure. no licensed contractor will attempt a shady fix because the risk to his license is too great. ignoring a leach field is inherently expensive.

da.bees · May 26, 2015

Some of what you say make's me think you may have somthing else besides roots causing the problem. "Leaking" sounds like water standing on ground which would be as likly bio-mass accumilation as anything. Copper sulfate used as others have said will kill roots if that's all the problem.

buickanddeere · May 27, 2015

I have used a V-ripper and cut roots off underground along the edge of trees, buildings and drains .

mj · May 28, 2015

(quoted from post at 13:26:28 05/25/15) whats a good product to kill tree roots in drain field lines ? my daughter has a leaking drain field and there is trees and brush growing there . i told her the trees and brush has to go or it will only get worse .she bought the house about 3 years ago and the house inspector should have seen a potential problem even if it wasn't leaking at the time . i suspect the drain lines are the plastic corrgated type that can't be rotorooted . all advice and help will be appreciated..........thanks bill

I've used copper sulfate for over 20 years now and everything is working good. There are two trees that get their moisture from the leach field and they have not been harmed. I flush a bottle of crystals down the john in April or May and another in September or October. The septic tank works very well as I've only had it pumped twice since 1976. The first time I had to pump it because the line to the leach field got broken by a heavy truck driving over it and tree roots had plugged it. After roto-rooting the line I started using the copper sulfate. The second time was mostly out of curiosity and proved to me that the copper sulfate was doing what I had hoped it would do. I would just treat it with copper sulfate if it can't be first roto-rootered. Hopefully. it is still draining a bit as it will take a while for the crystals to work.

OT tree roots in drain field

bill b va

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Michael Soldan

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notjustair

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Geo-TH,In

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Hoenes

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Steve@Advance

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Hobo,NC

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Dusty MI

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ed will

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SDE

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showcrop

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da.bees

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buickanddeere

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mj

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