So, last year I had this nasty sewer backup issue—turns out tree roots invaded my pipes. A plumber buddy recommended this root killer stuff you pour down the drain every few months. Honestly, I was skeptical at first, seemed too easy. But it's been almost a year now and no more backups (knock on wood). Curious if anyone else has tried something similar or has another trick up their sleeve...
"Honestly, I was skeptical at first, seemed too easy."
Same here—I thought it sounded too good to be true. Been using root killer for about two years now, and so far it's been smooth sailing. Just make sure you follow the directions closely; I've heard stories of people overdoing it and damaging older pipes. Also, keeping an eye on the trees near your lines helps—sometimes prevention beats treatment...
Been using root killer for about two years now, and so far it's been smooth sailing.
I've been hesitant to rely solely on root killer myself. When I moved into my place, the previous owner swore by it, but after a nasty backup last spring, I decided to get a plumber's camera inspection done. Turns out there were some pretty serious cracks in the pipe that chemicals alone wouldn't fix. So yeah, root killer can help, but I'd recommend getting your lines checked professionally every few years—better safe than sorry...
"I'd recommend getting your lines checked professionally every few years—better safe than sorry..."
Totally agree with this. Root killer's decent for maintenance, but it's not a miracle worker. Had a similar issue at my old place—thought I was good just using root killer regularly, then one day the basement flooded. Turned out tree roots had cracked the pipe wide open, and no chemical was gonna patch that up. Ended up costing me way more than if I'd just gotten it inspected earlier. Now I do a camera check every couple years, especially if there are big trees nearby. Root killer's fine as a preventive measure, but don't rely on it alone... learned that the hard way.
