I looked into trenchless lining when I had root issues last year, but the quotes were pretty steep and opinions seemed all over the place. Ended up going PVC too—figured it'd be a safer bet long-term. Curious though, did you notice any difference in drainage speed or noise after switching from clay to PVC? Heard some folks mention it's louder, but I haven't really noticed anything myself...
"Curious though, did you notice any difference in drainage speed or noise after switching from clay to PVC? Heard some folks mention it's louder, but I haven't really noticed anything myself..."
Honestly, I switched to PVC a couple years back and didn't notice any real difference in drainage speed—still drains just fine. But the noise thing... yeah, I can confirm it's a bit louder, especially if you're near the pipe when someone's flushing upstairs. Not obnoxiously loud or anything, just a more noticeable "whoosh" compared to the old clay pipes. But hey, small price to pay for not having roots invade every other year, right?
Also, from an eco-friendly perspective (gotta wave my green flag here), PVC isn't exactly my favorite material environmentally speaking—but trenchless lining was crazy expensive and seemed hit-or-miss reliability-wise. At least PVC should last decades without needing replacement again anytime soon. If you're worried about noise though, wrapping insulation around the pipe or boxing it in can help dampen things down quite a bit. Worked pretty well for me!
I switched to PVC last summer and honestly haven't noticed much difference in noise either. Maybe my hearing's just going already, haha. But drainage-wise, it's been smooth sailing—no more slow drains or backups from those pesky tree roots. Totally agree with you on the eco side though:
"PVC isn't exactly my favorite material environmentally speaking—but trenchless lining was crazy expensive..."
Yeah, trenchless was way out of my budget too. At least PVC means fewer repairs and digging up the yard again anytime soon...
Glad to hear the PVC worked out for you. I was skeptical myself at first—had an old rental property where roots kept invading the clay pipes every couple years. After switching to PVC, I expected some miracle fix...but honestly, it just quietly did its job without fanfare. Not exactly eco-friendly, sure, but neither is repeatedly digging up a yard and replacing pipes every few years. Sometimes practicality wins out over idealism, especially when budgets are tight.
PVC definitely makes life easier, doesn't it? I remember helping out on a job last summer where the homeowner had these massive oak trees in the yard. Beautiful trees, but man, their roots were relentless. Every couple years they'd invade the old clay pipes, and we'd be back out there digging trenches again. The homeowner joked we should just install a zipper in the lawn to save time next round.
Eventually, they bit the bullet and switched to PVC. Like you said, nothing flashy or exciting—just quietly doing its job underground. Haven't heard from them since, which in plumbing usually means good news (or they lost my number...).
I get the eco-friendly concerns though. PVC isn't exactly Mother Nature's favorite material. But when you factor in all the heavy machinery, fuel, and resources needed for repeated repairs, it's probably a wash environmentally speaking. Plus, fewer emergency calls at 2 AM means fewer grumpy plumbers driving around town half-asleep—definitely safer for everyone involved.
One thing I'd suggest if you're still worried about roots is to keep an eye on the landscaping. Certain trees are notorious pipe invaders (looking at you, willows). If you're planting new stuff or replacing old trees, maybe go for something with less aggressive roots. Or at least plant them further away from your sewer lines.
Anyway, glad your PVC is holding strong. Plumbing's one of those things where boring is actually good news...the less excitement underground, the better!
