possible to dig under a tree?

[tr888]

We found out that the curb stop for our domestic water is on an adjacent street and the Customer Service Line passes under our neighbor's lawn. The former owners of that property planted a tree (something like a dogwood) directly above the line. If something should happen requiring the line to be repaired/replaced, is there a digging tool that could bore horizontally below the tree's roots so it wouldn't have to be taken down? And are the supply lines typically far enough below ground that tree roots won't harm them?

Thanks

 

[Caduceus]

Yes. Expensive piece of equipment, but boring is used for access below driveways, sidewalks, trees, etc. Not a DIY project if you rent a compressor and the equipment. A ditch must be dug at the starting point and the end point. A guy with experience and a good eye for the lay of the land should direct the "air missile" and definitely a One-Call...you don't want to see what happens if a gas or water line is hit or discover that a sewer line was in the way.
Tree roots typically do not effect water service lines, as long as they are not leaking slowly, and also if they are copper.

 

[tr888]

Yes. Expensive piece of equipment, but boring is used for access below driveways, sidewalks, trees, etc. Not a DIY project if you rent a compressor and the equipment. A ditch must be dug at the starting point and the end point. A guy with experience and a good eye for the lay of the land should direct the "air missile" and definitely a One-Call...you don't want to see what happens if a gas or water line is hit or discover that a sewer line was in the way.
Tree roots typically do not effect water service lines, as long as they are not leaking slowly, and also if they are copper.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure what you meant by "air missile" in this context. Is that the borer bit?

 

[Caduceus]

Yes, it is the borer bit. It's about 4 feet long and about a 3" diameter. I'll bet there is a website somewhere with more detail on the equipment. Look for Air Missile, pneumatic boring or horizontal boring equipment in your search.

 

[plumbernyc]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiEeJ9fBHqc]YouTube - Trenchless Pipe Replacement with GRUNDOBURST[/ame]

 

[tr888]

Thanks for that video link.

It explains very clearly how the process bursts the original pipe. But what sort of pipe replaces the original rigid pipe in a residential domestic / potable water situation?

Let's say you have a pit dug into the street and anotherr pit up at the house, crossing under a lawn 75' wide. Does the original pipe get replaced nowadays with a flexible hose rated for potable water, or are short sections of rigid copper pipe pulled into the bore-hole? If short sections of rigid pipe are used, are they connected with threaded couplings? Swaged?

 

[Mr_David]

Usually when I've had a problem with a water line that has failed below a large tree I just reroute it around the tree.

 

[tr888]

Rerouting is not likely to be possible here -- sewer line to the right, dogwood directly above, and to the left, another tree, an ancient towering oak tree.

Besides, the current or future neighbors may be able to prevent me from claiming new ground for an alternate route, even though I may have a claim against them for planting a tree directly above the water line.

 

[Caduceus]

The bursting is for sewer lines. The longest shot that I have made with a bore was 25 feet. It saved time trenching as well as a driveway, sidewalk and a retaining wall when replacing a water service. Very useful and expensive tool.

 

[tr888]

The bursting is for sewer lines. The longest shot that I have made with a bore was 25 feet. It saved time trenching as well as a driveway, sidewalk and a retaining wall when replacing a water service. Very useful and expensive tool.

25' feet should be long enough to save the tree. 12 feet on either side of the tree trunk should be enough to protect its roots. Roughly, by how much does the need to use a boring tool typically increase the homeowner's total cost of the repair? By $1000? By $2000?

 

[Caduceus]

If the tool and compressor are owned by or rented by the plumber, there should not be a significant difference in the cost. If you bore 25 feet the labor, machine, backfilling, etc. is eliminated. If I were to bid the job, the costs would offset each other.

 

[Caduceus]

I should also remind you that if an obstruction is hit by the bit and it cannot continue, you may have to go back to trenching as the only method of replacement.

 

[tr888]

Thanks, the information is very helpful.

 

[lordofthepipes]

you could also look into directional boar.

 

[Royer123]

Usually when I've had a problem with a water line that has failed below a large tree I just reroute it around the tree.

Good for all

I had a problem when such plans will be better to have on hand to know what happens just below the tree and the tree also depends sometimes trees have very deep roots,

if what is sought to the least possible damage to the tree

Sometimes in these cases is better to hire the services of any company you step here a link that has promotional prices

http://www.reliancehsplumbing.com/services/plumbing.html

 

[Another-Plumber]

Usually when I've had a problem with a water line that has failed below a large tree I just reroute it around the tree.

thats what i was thinking david

 

[tr888]

As the OP, I'll just add that the original question was prompted by the fact that we have an easement under our neighbor's yard to access the water main. The two lots used to be one large corner lot. The former owners of the large corner lot divided it into two smaller ones, back in the 1940s, and a house was built on the new lot. The new house has access to the water mains (which run along their street not along ours) by way of an easement that crosses under their side yard. So it's not clear to me how much freedom we would have to relocate the trench. On the other hand, it's not clear to me how much freedom there was to plant a tree directly above the water supply line, given the existing easement. Water company says not to worry; if the line is in good condition the tree roots won't seek it out.