No. Hydro jetting clears roots out of the pipe, but it does not close the crack or joint they grew through, and the tree keeps seeking water. To stop regrowth, seal or replace the pipe, remove the source, or schedule repeat cleanings based on what a camera shows afterward.
Why roots return
Traverse City's tree root guide puts it plainly. Roots are attracted to water vapor leaving the pipe, they follow that trail to a crack or loose joint, and once inside they reach the nutrients and moisture in the flow. The City of Phoenix describes the same path: roots from trees and invasive shrubs like oleanders find their way through pipe joints or other openings and form a root ball. Jetting removes the ball. It cannot remove the reason the roots showed up.
Think of it like weeding a garden without pulling the root of the weed. The yard looks clean for a while, and then it doesn't. The pipe is the same. As long as water vapor keeps leaking from the same opening, a plant nearby has a reason to keep sending roots toward it.
What jetting does well, and what it doesn't
Cleaning crews use jetting because it works for the job at hand. Phoenix's own sewer crews use jet hydro-vac trucks, and a rotating saw where roots enter the pipe. Traverse City lists augers, root saws and high-pressure flushers as the common ways to remove roots. Jetting scours the full pipe wall, where a cable mostly bores a channel through the middle of a clog. For how it works, see what hydro jetting is.
Jetting is the right first step when a line is blocked. It is a poor last step when the pipe is open at the joints. It is also not for every pipe. San Luis Obispo describes Orangeburg fiber pipe as almost impossible to maintain because mechanical cleaning tears it, and clay is brittle. A camera before any cleaning tells the crew whether the pipe can take it.
### Questions to ask the crew before they jet
- Will you run a camera first to check that this pipe can take it?
- Where are the roots entering, and is it one opening or many?
- Will I get the before and after video?
- What do you expect the camera to show once the roots are gone?
- If this were your line, what would you do about the entry points?
A crew that answers these plainly is telling you whether the cleaning is a fix or a stopgap. The video from the second camera pass is also your baseline, so the next time the line slows you can compare.
### How it tends to play out
These are made-up examples to show the logic, not real jobs.
Roots from one cracked joint. The crew jets the roots out, the camera shows a single crack and an otherwise sound pipe, and a short spot liner seals it. The roots have nowhere to go. That's the fix.
Roots at joint after joint in an old clay line. Jetting restores flow, but the camera shows open joints along the run. Each cleaning buys a stretch of time, and every stretch ends the same way. This is the case for a full liner or a new pipe. The page on whether to reline fully, partly or not at all covers how that call gets made.
Sound pipe, big tree nearby, roots just starting. The camera shows tight joints and a few fine roots. Clear them, keep the video, and check again on a regular schedule. Waiting is fine here, since nothing is broken yet.
What actually keeps roots out
| Option | What it does | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Jetting or cutting on a schedule | Restores flow each time | Roots return, and you pay for every visit |
| Foaming root killer | Coats the pipe with an herbicide (Roebic's contains dichlobenil) | Roebic recommends it for severe recurring root problems; read the label and any local rules first |
| Spot or full liner | Seals the cracks and joints roots use | Needs a pipe that kept its shape; NASSCO calls it a permanent solution against root intrusion in laterals |
| Pipe replacement | New pipe, new joints | Traverse City says severe root intrusion and structural damage require replacement |
| Move or remove the plant | Removes the source | The pipe may still leak, and other roots can find it |
Repeat cleanings add up, and they never fix the pipe. A camera after each cleaning shows whether the pipe is holding, and it tells you whether to keep cleaning or fix the pipe. For that decision, see tree roots in a sewer line: repair or replace and whether to reline fully, partly or not at all.
### A word on chemical root killers
A foaming product fills the pipe, and Roebic says it is meant for severe recurring root problems, not routine maintenance. Treat it as a supplement to mechanical cleaning, not a replacement for repairing the pipe. If your home is on a septic system, check with your septic provider before putting any herbicide in a line that feeds a tank.
How fast do roots grow back?
No trustworthy number applies to every yard. It depends on the tree or shrub, how close it is, how many openings the pipe has, and how much water leaks out. Traverse City notes root spread can reach up to 2.5 times the height of the tree, so a tree can be a long way from the line and still reach it. Use your own line as the guide, and keep the video and the date from every cleaning. Two or three clips show you the pattern better than any rule of thumb, and they help the next plumber see what changed. If the camera shows sound joints after a jetting, you may go a long time before roots matter. If it shows open joints with roots at each, expect a return, and plan the permanent fix rather than the next cleaning.
Plant smarter, then decide
Phoenix Water Services says strategic landscaping is the key. Do not plant a tree or large shrub too close to your property line, over or near the sewer line, or by the cleanout. The same advice covers your house, since Phoenix notes roots can also invade a foundation. If a tree is already there, weigh it against a liner or a new pipe, because cutting roots does not fix a cracked pipe. Removing a healthy shade tree is a loss of its own, and sealing the pipe may let you keep it.
If you're weighing a repair against yet another cleaning, ask each contractor to put the plan in writing, including what happens if the roots return within the warranty period and what the warranty covers. A written plan makes the options comparable side by side. Not sure which fix fits? Check the signs of tree roots in a sewer line, and if you are shopping for a home with roots on the scope, see roots in old clay sewer pipes when buying. To keep a line clear between visits, use the routine in how to maintain your sewer line to prevent backups.
HQ Plumbing gives free estimates and upfront pricing, and can run a camera after jetting so you can see what the pipe looks like before deciding.