Sewer cleanout cover right next to pine tree

[Mosh Pit]

A Pine tree has a Giant Tap Root.

I would say no worries, as long as the Tap Root can get water. It must be getting water or it would be dead.

As long as the trunk does not hit the clean out you should be OK.

Over Head Power Lines are more of a worry with Pine trees.


Good Luck.

 

[FullySprinklered]

Every clean-out in Georgia is close to a pine tree. We ain't losing no sleep around here.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Themp]

I planted a pine tree directly over my PVC sewer line. It took 25 years, but the weight of the tree flexed the PVC line and let roots into a coupling joint.

 

[hj]

If it is really cast iron, roots should not be able to enter the pipes and even moving them would be unusual.

 

[hj]

The use of cast iron once the pipe exits the house would be EXTREMELY rare, (and costly at the time of installation), so I really doubt that the cast iron goes past the tree. Once the cast iron is outside the building, it usually transitions to red clay tile pipe, unless it was built during the years of "Orangeburg" which is black like cast iron but made of rolled up tar paper. The cleanout's material has absolutely NOTHING to do with the type of sewer pipe it is attached to. As far as it being next to a big tree, I always say, "If you want to know where your sewer pipe is, look for the largest tree". It is almost like they search until they find the sewer, then use a plumb bob to make sure it is planted directly over it.

 

[DonL]

Around here people plant Willow trees on their field lines.

It is amazing how much water they drink.

With all of the Clay here, The trees do a better job than the field lines themselves.


You can put water softener salt around the clean out, and the tree will shy away from it.

 

[hj]

quote:

Here, we call the Palo Verde trees the Arizona weeping willows because they do the same thing.

 

[WorthFlorida]

If you're that worried hire a plumber with a camera snake. It will give you a view right inside the pipe. An experienced plumber can tell if there are roots in the pipe, dips, cracks, and any breaks, etc. Cast iron is strong but if you live in the north with freeze cycles or where the ground moves, the pipe can crack or break under stress. After an inspection you can make a decision to cut the tree down or not. At the clean out you might be able to tell how deep the main is. Should a storm take the tree down and as the roots uplifts the ground, it may take the pipes with it.

 

[hj]

quote; you can make a decision to cut the tree down or not.

That gets rid of the tree, but the roots can live on for 25 years or more, so that does not get rid of the problem.

 

[DonL]

Some people use Copper Sulfate, but it can kill a tree.

Salt is cheaper and safer.


Normally you need to know what you are doing to run a Chainsaw.

 

[WorthFlorida]

quote; you can make a decision to cut the tree down or not.

That gets rid of the tree, but the roots can live on for 25 years or more, so that does not get rid of the problem.

The roots may remain inside the pipe for quite some time before decaying but they will not grow. Read on from New Mexico State University.

Source: http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2000/030400.html
Do tree roots grow after the tree is cut?
"Once the tree has been cut, the roots cannot grow anymore because the leaves are necessary to provide the food to fuel root growth."

 

[hj]

quote; "Once the tree has been cut, the roots cannot grow anymore because the leaves are necessary to provide the food to fuel root growth."

I can give you MANY instances where the tree was cut down and many years later, and at least one was 26 years later, the root infestation occurred RIGHT where the tree's "depression" was and there were NO OTHER trees in the vicinity. I asked one customer, "Why is that depression in the middle of your yard right over the sewer line, and she said, "That was where we had a tree removed about 10 years ago". The "scientists" can declaim all the want to, but I have to go by experience gained in 60+ years of actually doing the work.

 

[hj]

quote; Normally you need to know what you are doing to run a Chainsaw.

Does that apply to Freddie, or whoever the "Texas chainsaw massacre" person was?