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[Sloppy_Snood]

Hello guys....  nOObie here (but I am the son of a retired 45-year veteran plumber).

Prepping for a Portage and Main Optimizer 250 installation.  I have a 50-feet run for Logstor dual pexflex to dig but am concerned about a few large trees (75' + white oaks) within 8 feet of where I want to penetrate through my basement wall for a DHW and forced air HX arrangement.

Question:  With these older hardwood trees near my feed and return line, is there much risk of the tree roots growing into the Logstor and causing problems down the line in a few years? 

I could fell the trees but they are some bigguns.    Thoughts, advice, humor, recommendations are welcome. 

Many thanks in advance.  -Slopster

[jefito]

Good to hear from you, since you have a short run hopefully a straight 50' run. I would encase it in some PVC, logstor is tough, the tree roots are relentless. If you fell the trees that does nothing to the root system for many years. Only other solution would be to use a soil steralint to kill the root system. Then also steralize an area eqaul to the tree canopy's drip line. The steralint lasts a entire year. So I guess PVC would be best.  Good luck!

[slimjim]

Hi Sloopy, can't remember if I've ever spoken with you, as far as the Logstor product, I have never seen a breach in the outer layer of plastic short of one guy that accidentally drove a piece of rebar through it in an electrical install, I really don't think even white oak will penetrate it, That being said, I personally have been trying to get my wife to agree to killing the three stupid red oak that we have 20 feet from the house for years, A corns and leaves are a PIA to collect in the fall and the dead branches pay hell on the metal roofing, do as you wish but if you can convince the powers that are, KILL THE DARN TREES, they make awesome firewood

[slimjim]

PS thank you for considering our product line, if I can help in any way please shout out!

[mlappin]

Lay a piece of copper rod, pipe, tubing or heavy gauge wire in your trench. We've used lightning rod cable in the past as well. We do this anywhere a perforated drain tile goes along a woods, fencerow or other trees. Haven't had one plug up with roots yet.

[Sloppy_Snood]

PS thank you for considering our product line, if I can help in any way please shout out!

Thank you slimjim. I'm in Indiana so I assume the EPA Phase II compliant model is what I "must" purchase.

I  was actually considering the Ultimizer series for simplicity's sake) but I see no EPA Phase II white tags advertised on those units.

I may just remove the trees in their entirely with a Caterpillar track hoe but am undecided at this point in time.  The wife is "picky" about where I can place the unit.    Thanks for the welcome.

[Sloppy_Snood]

Lay a piece of copper rod, pipe, tubing or heavy gauge wire in your trench.

This makes much sense to me (I am an advanced degree organic chemist  ).  Copper pipe in dirt with even low levels of moisture is going to form copper(II) carbonate (an effective algaecide in ponds and the such).    A really great suggestion IMO.  Thank you.

[mlappin]

Lay a piece of copper rod, pipe, tubing or heavy gauge wire in your trench.

This makes much sense to me (I am an advanced degree organic chemist  ).  Copper pipe in dirt with even low levels of moisture is going to form copper(II) carbonate (an effective algaecide in ponds and the such).    A really great suggestion IMO.  Thank you.

Your welcome.

Been doing this with the copper for 30 years or better, don't ever recall having to clean or dig up a drain tile because of roots once we started dropping copper in the trench before backfilling.

[Sprinter]

Never seen or heard of roots doing anything to logstor. Tordon RTU will take care of any tree or roots permanently with just a few drops or ounces.

[mlappin]

Never seen or heard of roots doing anything to logstor. Tordon RTU will take care of any tree or roots permanently with just a few drops or ounces.

Not sure about actually burning roots back, but a contractor in the area swears by roundup, 2-4d and diesel mixed together. Spray it on a stump and it won't come back. Is also cheaper than tordon.

[Sprinter]

Never seen or heard of roots doing anything to logstor. Tordon RTU will take care of any tree or roots permanently with just a few drops or ounces.

Not sure about actually burning roots back, but a contractor in the area swears by roundup, 2-4d and diesel mixed together. Spray it on a stump and it won't come back. Is also cheaper than tordon.

2-4d is the active ingredient in Tordon, $14.99/quart. It uses a capillary inhibitor to make the tree absorb it and spread via cambium. Problem is if too much is used , it will also kill other oaks that might share root system.