Went through something similar last summer—roots tore right into our old clay pipes. Looked into HDPE but honestly, the upfront cost was a bit steep for us. Ended up going with schedule 40 PVC and installed root barriers instead... fingers crossed it holds up!
PVC can definitely do the trick, but honestly, I'm not a huge fan of root barriers. Had them installed a few years back and the roots just found their way around eventually... nature's persistent like that. Ended up switching to HDPE after all—yeah, it hurt the wallet initially, but zero issues since then. Sometimes paying more upfront saves headaches down the line. Just my two cents though, hope your setup holds better than mine did!
"Sometimes paying more upfront saves headaches down the line."
Couldn't agree more. Tried PVC myself—roots laughed at it after a couple years. Switched to HDPE eventually, and it's held solid. Sometimes cheap solutions just delay the inevitable... learned that lesson the hard way too.
Interesting to hear HDPE worked out for you. I've been debating between PVC and HDPE myself, but the upfront cost difference has me hesitating. Did you notice a significant difference in installation difficulty or special tools needed for HDPE compared to PVC? I've read mixed things online, and I'm trying to figure out if the extra investment is justified for my situation. Glad you finally got those roots under control though—must be a relief after dealing with that headache. Sometimes I wonder if it's just luck or if certain tree species are more aggressive than others... guess I'll find out soon enough.
HDPE definitely needs specialized fusion equipment, so installation can be trickier if you're DIYing. PVC is simpler—just glue and go. But HDPE's durability against roots is unmatched, so if roots are your main issue, it's probably worth the extra upfront cost.
