CIPP lining, four root masses, 42-ft 1908 clay lateral.

§ I · Diagnosis

Survey performed by Seth Burczyk, 9 a.m. Wednesday 10 September 2025. CCTV crawler entered at the basement floor cleanout (sta. 0+00), traveled the lateral to the city main connection at sta. 0+42. Total run length 42 ft, 6 in. nominal ID, vitrified clay tile, original 1908 install per BSA tap card on file (BSA Permit Register). The lateral exited the basement on the south foundation wall, ran east-southeast under the front yard, and connected to the city main on Bird Avenue under the asphalt approximately 4 ft north of the curb line.

Four PACP-coded defects observed:

• Sta. 0+09 — RBL · severity 3 · root ball ≈ 50% of bore
• Sta. 0+22 — RBL · severity 4 · root ball ≈ 80% of bore (the proximate cause of the customer's backup)
• Sta. 0+30 — RFJ · severity 2 · fine root growth at joint
• Sta. 0+38 — RBL · severity 3 · root ball ≈ 60% of bore

All four root entries traced to a single mature Acer saccharinum (silver maple, DBH 24 in.) located 11 ft from the curb on the customer's lawn. The tree's lateral root system was characteristic — fibrous, opportunistic, and following the gradient of the lateral's leaking joint material. No structural defects observed in the host pipe; the bore was continuous and circular in section throughout the run. Plate A applies; no co-occurring morphologies.

§ II · Recommendation

CIPP lining (RKT-MTH-01). The host pipe was structurally sound; the failure mode was the four joints admitting roots, not the pipe itself. Lining seals every joint along the run, including the four observed entries. Mechanical removal of the existing root masses was prerequisite; no other rehabilitation indicated.

§ III · Execution

Job day: Friday 12 September 2025, 7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Crew: Al Reuter (inversion), Marie Knapp (foreman), Ari Ostrowski (CCTV verification, second-year apprentice).

1. 7:30 — Set up at curb. Inversion drum trailer parked on Bird; resin barrels staged in shop the previous afternoon and impregnated under vacuum at 6:45 a.m. (Bryntex VR-301 styrene-free vinyl-ester).
2. 8:15 — Mechanical root removal. Sectional auger with 6-in. root saw, full run, both passes. Hydro-jet wash 3,500 psi at 18 gpm.
3. 9:30 — Pre-install verification CCTV. Bore confirmed clear. Branch connection at sta. 0+18 (laundry/utility branch) measured and indexed for post-cure reinstatement.
4. 10:00 — Inversion. Sleeve fully inverted to termination at sta. 0+42. Working pressure 11 psi.
5. 10:45 — Hot-water cure begun. Reimers Electra-Steam boiler, 175°F circulating water for 5 hours.
6. 3:00 — Cure complete. Pressure released, ends trimmed, branch connection reinstated by iPEK Rovion robotic cutter.
7. 3:45 — Post-install verification CCTV. Bore continuous, jointless, branch connection clean. BSA inspector (E. Czerniewski) signed off on permit closeout in person.

§ IV · Cost & warranty

CIPP lining, 42 ft, 6-in. ID, hot-water cure	$6,300
Pre-clean (auger, hydro-jet, root saw)	$485
Branch reinstatement, robotic cutter	$220
BSA permit fee	$165
Subtotal	$7,170
NYS sales tax (8.75%, Erie County)	$270
Total turnkey	$7,440

1-year workmanship warranty + 10-year structural warranty from Perma-Liner Industries on the cured liner.

§ V · Follow-up · 12 months · 14 September 2026

Verification CCTV performed by Seth Burczyk at the customer's request as part of the routine 12-month follow-up included in the warranty. Bore continuous, jointless, no root re-entry. The branch reinstatement at sta. 0+18 was clean. Customer reported zero drain incidents in the intervening 12 months. The silver maple was inspected by the customer's arborist (the customer's choice; we did not recommend it); the tree remained healthy and the homeowner elected to retain it.

Closing note from Marie: this is the textbook case for CIPP. Sound host pipe, cooperative geometry, single failure mode (root intrusion), accessible cleanout, no surprises during install. We close 80–90 of these a year. The point of publishing this dossier is not that it was hard — it wasn't — but that it shows what the process looks like when the diagnosis is right and the method matches.

Related: RKT-MTH-01, RKT-MOR-A, Elmwood Village, all dossiers.