Had a similar issue at one of my rentals a few years back—ended up biting the bullet and replacing the old clay pipes with PVC. Trenchless sounded tempting, but I wasn't convinced it'd hold up long-term either. Curious though, how deep did you plant those native shrubs? Wondering if root depth makes a noticeable difference in keeping pipes safe...
"Trenchless sounded tempting, but I wasn't convinced it'd hold up long-term either."
Yeah, trenchless can be hit or miss in my experience. I've seen it work fine for minor issues, but if you're dealing with aggressive roots, PVC replacement is usually the safer bet. As for shrub depth, honestly, roots have a mind of their own—I've seen shallow-planted shrubs still cause trouble. But deeper planting might at least buy you some extra peace of mind...worth a shot anyway. Good luck keeping those pipes clear!
Trenchless definitely has its place, but from what I've seen, aggressive roots just laugh at it eventually. I had a rental once where we tried trenchless to save some landscaping—worked great for about two years, then those pesky roots were back at it like nothing happened. Ended up biting the bullet and going PVC replacement. As for shrub depth, deeper planting might slow them down a bit, but honestly roots seem stubborn enough to find their way no matter what...they're sneaky like that. Good luck staying root-free!
Had a similar experience myself—tried trenchless lining at first because it seemed cheaper and less messy. Worked fine initially, but after a couple of years those roots were back causing trouble again. Ended up replacing the whole line with PVC pipe, and honestly, haven't had issues since (knock on wood...). PVC replacement is definitely pricier upfront, but long-term it saves you headaches and repeated fixes. Sometimes spending a bit more initially is actually the budget-friendly move down the line.
"PVC replacement is definitely pricier upfront, but long-term it saves you headaches and repeated fixes."
Couldn't agree more. Seen plenty of homeowners try to save a few bucks initially, only to call me back year after year. PVC might pinch at first, but you're investing in peace of mind...smart move.
