going underground

[jamie]

my boss was telling me yesterday of some unusual job we have coming up......

some woman has a tree in her garden and scottish water (the water people) found that a root has punctured the pipe and is causing a problem, they want someone to go down the manhole, into the pipe and cut it......

if its big enough to cause that much damage id say that its big enough to be of importance in supporting the tree......

interesting job im sure, cant really comment as i dont know the spec / havent seen said root and pipe, but i thought you all might like to know

jamie

 

[treeman82]

How big of a pipe is this?

 

[Lumberjack]

People around here also have the misconseption that roots are like drills, and can penetrate steel pipe if givin the chance. People don't understand that a tree's roots follow the water, and oxygen. That is why the roots will push up a sidewalk, but not a parking lot (as much). They grow under the sidewalk to the other side to get oxygen, water, and nutrients. They don't grow (as much) under large slabs of concrete because there is nothing there for them.

I am guessing that this is a large pipe, if you are to go into it and cut the root.

JMHO on the root supporting the tree, How much support would it loose, if it is flush cut against the wall of the pipe? The support would come from outside the pipe anyways because the root inside the pipe isn't anchored, rather a mass of small roots gathering water.


Carl

 

[MasterBlaster]

So its a FACT? Treeroots DO NOT in any way, shape or form bust pipes?

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
So its a FACT? Treeroots DO NOT in any way, shape or form bust pipes?

Only if they already have an existing leak, they don't make a hole in the pipe, however over time with the roots growning, it make bend the pipe till it cracks, but that isn't the norm.

How many home's water pipe runs between trees (amongst the roots) without having the roots get in them. Now how many septic lines have been pluged with roots because they are designed to let the waste water seep out?

A root cannot penetrate a pipe, unless it has a crack for it to get into, and grow, causing the crack to open more. Like Rocky said.

Carl
l

 

[jamie]

pipes

aye, tree roots the eternal evil constantly attacking our streets and gardens, tearing up slabs and making a mess,

as i said dont know how big the pipe is, all i know is that there is a crack in a pipe and a root in the crack / pipe,

dont know when / where / who will be doing the job

jamie

 

[SilverBlue]

Then again how many have seen a seedling appear in the middle of an asphalt driveway with no cracks at all?

 

[jamie]

gaps n stuff

dont plants find a rooting substrate in a gap. crevice etc and then let their roots follow any weaknesses through the structure in the search for nuturients, water and o2, like on the edge of rocks etc,

jamie

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by SilverBlue
Then again how many have seen a seedling appear in the middle of an asphalt driveway with no cracks at all?

I have never seen a seedling growing on asphalt myself... through a crack yes, but without, no.


Carl

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by Lumberjack
I have never seen a seedling growing on asphalt myself... through a crack yes, but without, no.


Carl

I think Rob was speaking in the sarcastic form with that statement.

Butch, roots grow by adding cells to the end just under the root cap. Very little ability to do damage there.

few O2 is the biggest limiting factor for root propigation. Statistically if the free O2 falls under 5% in the soil then survivability is near zero.

In a rooting sence (at least up here) most water and sewer pipes are very deep in the ground to be under the frost line. So there must be an oxygenated plumb of water for the roots to follow.

Old sewer pipes are the most vulnerable because the are sectional clay structures. Sloppy installs can leave small seams that trees will take advantage of. These weak unions can be moved by root growth, so you recomend to the home owner to dump coper sulphate down the drain every 6 months.

Water pipes are more problematic, since you don't have the ability to use chemical control.

If water and sewer laterals are in close proximity, I would be concerned with contamination of the water.

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn
I think Rob was speaking in the sarcastic form with that statement.

If water and sewer laterals are in close proximity, I would be concerned with contamination of the water.

I was just sayin, I couldn't tell.

Over here the water line and sewer lines are in the same trench.

I would think that the positive pressure in the water line would keep any goodies from being able to transfer from the sewer to the water.

Carl

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

With the turbulance and change in pressure in the line, fluid and debris can be drawn in.

Here in Milwaukee they sample the water in many places beyond the treatment plant to see if there is any infiltration.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I can remember some wonderful discussion with Wulkie on this topic.

Roots don't "know" anything. The root tips grow out into areas where they will find nourishment. If there's now nourishment, they die. Then the plant allocates energy in other places.

There could be a source of water, O2 or nutrients just a smidgeon away from the root tips and the plant won't get there unless it allocates energy to explore. Someone has to fund the exploration, no different than our explorations.

Tom