Good News, Bad News

[snubbyfan]

The good news is that we're gonna be bringing in the new year with functional plumbing.
The bad news is that we had to sacrifice one of our big maple trees to do it.

[GypsmJim]

Why did the pipe have to go in a straight line? My very first house had a septic tank out back. When the town put in sewers we came out the front of the house and snaked the pipe around three 40 year old maple trees.

[Wdbutcher97]

I'm sorry for the loss of your tree. I'm a tree hugger from way back, but tree roots are disastrous for sewer lines.

[arjay]

Plumbing is good!
Cute house ��

[Bald1]

Well…… if you have to loose a tree, may as well be a maple. They are the dirtiest trees going. Little red buds, helicopters, tons of orange leaves, and sticks. Just random sticks falling all the time.

[M29since14]

I’d take a maple over a sycamore! Or a willow. Or a tulip. Or a walnut. Or a …

Anyway, sorry for the loss of your old tree, but on the bright side, now you have an opportunity to plant something new.

[Rudi]

They just need to go at times. I had a big one taken down back in July. I miss it.

[Greyman50]

Hah, ever been around sweet gums. They are a Major PITA, leaves and gum balls……

[BKLooney]

Given the choice between a tree and functional plumbing...the flush will win every time with me!

[Kevin J.]

Sorry for your loss. Per others opinions I have two red maples flanking my drive way. Beautiful trees.

[Ivan the Butcher]

When I had the apartment complex, I had one building that the maple roots kept blocking the 6" line. Copper Sulfate won't clean a blocked line but a cup a month flushed down any toilet in the building every other month will keep the lines open.

After I sold the complex, about two years later the new owners wiped out all the trees on that end of that building. That was 2008-09 and it has looked like bomb damage ever since!But hey, what do I know?

Ivan

[JohnRippert]

The electric company contractors who are replacing underground electric lines hit the natural gas pipe a couple weeks ago. The leak turned out to be right under a nice old Texas mountain laurel that was pretty good sized. They are slow growing and expensive trees. It was in the utility easement so it was dug up. We also had 4 yew trees on either side of the front door and on the front corners of the house that died from the drought last summer and a holly tree out front also. So those had to come down. One of our 50 year old oaks out front was leaning due to being pruned mostly on one side for years. Had that removed with the others this week. Opened up the front of the house quite a bit, which has it's ups and downs. Really hate losing any tree but to have a batch come out is no fun.

[lihpster]

I'd go with 2 trees. A red maple and a weeping willow.

[Rustyt1953]

Just a thought...

[soFlaNative]

Any plans for that south 0.2 acre? Buffalo grass?

[WR Moore]

Did you at least get to keep the firewood?

Those complaining about various trees obviously never had a mulberry tree in their yard. I'd never known that mulberries grew on trees. Nasty fruit dropping/rotting in the yard plus every bird in the county dropping by for lunch. What they left wasn't tips.

With the neighbors consent and help I butchered that tree leaving only the trunk and a couple major limbs. 2-3 years later looked nearly as full as when I "pruned" it.

[chief38]

Originally Posted by GypsmJim

Why did the pipe have to go in a straight line? My very first house had a septic tank out back. When the town put in sewers we came out the front of the house and snaked the pipe around three 40 year old maple trees.

A strain line is the least amount of pipe and connections as possible. No contractor will use more than is necessary unless the homeowner specifically states so and IS WILLING to pay for the extra time and materials. Most aren't!

[chief38]

Originally Posted by snubbyfan

The good news is that we're gonna be bringing in the new year with functional plumbing.
The bad news is that we had to sacrifice one of our big maple trees to do it.

Well, you have killed a few birds with a single stone. No more roots in the pipes AND no chance of the tree taking out your electrical lines and roof either. Will also let in some more sun light and alleviate mold from growing. Will also keep the squirrels from having easy access to your roof, soffit's and attic. Nice tree, but too close for something that large I think. Too many downsides.

[robvious]

Sorry for your loss of shade.. enjoy the firewood...

[snubbyfan]

Originally Posted by GypsmJim

Why did the pipe have to go in a straight line? My very first house had a septic tank out back. When the town put in sewers we came out the front of the house and snaked the pipe around three 40 year old maple trees.

The issue was that our sewer pipe was pvc 'bout halfway to the street and was spliced to a terra cotta pipe. The roots pretty much filled the pipe and the only way to fix it was to extend to pvc pipe to the street.
Unfortunately, the pipe was within' 3 feet of the tree and the only way to repair it was to get rid of the tree.

[snubbyfan]

Originally Posted by arjay

Plumbing is good!
Cute house ��

Thanks, we like it.

[snubbyfan]

Originally Posted by Bald1

Well…… if you have to loose a tree, may as well be a maple. They are the dirtiest trees going. Little red buds, helicopters, tons of orange leaves, and sticks. Just random sticks falling all the time.

The tree wasn't loose, exactly the opposite. It was firmly attached to the ground and took hours to get the stump out.
Did hate to havta lose it though.

[snubbyfan]

We have 2 more big old maples. One on the other side in front and another in the back yard.

[snubbyfan]

Originally Posted by soFlaNative

Any plans for that south 0.2 acre? Buffalo grass?

I guess we'll find out this spring.

[fiasconva]

Just about every plumber I've ever talked with says maples are the worst when it comes to clogging your pipes. Losing that one will be worth it when it comes down to functioning plumbing or not.

[mtgianni]

Originally Posted by fiasconva

Just about every plumber I've ever talked with says maples are the worst when it comes to clogging your pipes. Losing that one will be worth it when it comes down to functioning plumbing or not.

Location, Location, Location, In the west weeping willows win by a large margin.

[llowry61]

I had to have some Ash trees taken out. Basically, the city came in and took them all down because of the Emerald Ash Borers. I know they were infested, and it was just a matter of time, but it is a shame to lose a tree. Takes a long time to get to that size.

I guess if I had to choose the plumbing wins out.

[Retired W4]

The county determined that 5 big swamp poplars were messing with the main sewer line and cut them down. Good riddance!

Arbor Day, 20 years ago . I got a peat pot with a Silver Maple. It's much bigger today.

[CH4]

Originally Posted by Bald1

Well…… if you have to loose a tree, may as well be a maple. They are the dirtiest trees going. Little red buds, helicopters, tons of orange leaves, and sticks. Just random sticks falling all the time.

Don’t tell the Canucks

[Skeet 028]

That tree was what we called a swamp maple down on the Eastern Shore...They like water and sewer lines. I had a basement drain in the old farmhouse in Md. Swamp maples constantly tried to clog the end..an occasional dose of weed killer kept it clean. Willows are terrible too. I constantly mowed them around the pond...and applied weed killer to the new trees. Had an American chestnut in the yard...Roots weren't bad...but oh my...the spiked hulls were terrible. It is about 50 YO now..People told me this year the tree is starting to die from Blight. Snubby...plant flowers there. No clogged pipes

[tops]

Originally Posted by Bald1

Well…… if you have to loose a tree, may as well be a maple. They are the dirtiest trees going. Little red buds, helicopters, tons of orange leaves, and sticks. Just random sticks falling all the time.

A Magnolia could give them a run for their money but I like them. Larry

[LVSteve]

Looking at those pictures, be happy that you don't have a British insurance company. Their attitude to trees near a home is brutal.

[TX-Dennis]

Wayne, your neighborhood has character unlike most newer neighborhoods where the homes are all very similar in appearance. Part of that character is the mature trees, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

[dmar]

Originally Posted by fiasconva

Just about every plumber I've ever talked with says maples are the worst when it comes to clogging your pipes. Losing that one will be worth it when it comes down to functioning plumbing or not.

My dad was a plumber, and I did a lot of Jobs with him clearing out drains when I was a kid and in college. They were good money jobs. Maples are bad, but I remember willow trees being the worst! I wouldn’t have a willow anywhere my house/sewer lines… For jobs that size, we’d dig out the lines by hand. Good times!

And I’d agree with the post saying how much of a nuisance sweet gum trees are. I cut down a dozen of those awful trees on my property in NC. The roots were getting too big/close to my pool. They do have some nice color in the Fall, however. I love trees, and have planted so many over the years, but I enjoyed every minute of cutting those things down, and they were 60’+ tall!

[BC38]

Originally Posted by mtgianni

Location, Location, Location, In the west weeping willows win by a large margin.

AMEN to that. I had a willow that sent out roots nearly 40 feet to find the joint where my sewer line entered the sewer main.

Once it found that joint, the roots got inside the pipe and grew until there was a root ball that filled the entire 4" inside diameter of the pipe and was nearly 3 feet long inside the pipe.

Never seen a maple do anything like that.