I have a 30 year old bungalow with a cement block basement and a sump pump. The house was built on a floating slab and there are high water tables. Our sand point is only about 12 ft. I had a problem with water in the basement. When I called a plumber and he inspected the sump pump, he removed roots of trees from it. He also told me that there were roots in the lines. The septic bed lies in the back of the house. In the backyard is a large cedar tree about 4 ft. from the foundation. A cedar hedge 10-11 ft. high runs the entire length of the lot, 148 ft. deep. This hedge is about 12 ft. from the foundation and 15 ft. from the perimeter of the septic bed. My neighbour has 1-2 large popular trees that are adjacent to the hedge and are about 75 years old. In my back yard I also have a Manitoba maple. I would like to know where to start to address the problem. If I could decipher what kind of roots these are, I would know which trees are causing the problem. The plumber feels that it could be my cedar hedge but I would be quite upset if this would have to be removed, as it is a beautiful feature of my lot. I am also very concerned about the condition of the septic bed and if damage is being caused to the bed by these roots, and what can be done to alleviate this problem. In addition, as the house is over 30 years old, I am thinking of having a home inspection done to evaluate the present condition of my home and what plans I should be making for repairs and replacements in the next 3-5 years. If you carry out home inspections, I would definitely be interested in having one done to establish its current condition.
Answer:
I didn't really get concerned about roots until you mentioned the poplars and soft maples. These are fast growing trees and at age fifteen, they normal feed from 250 to 300 feet away. That should answer your question. The cedars may have massive root systems but I think they're too close to the surface to be blocking your drainage tiles. I introduced the home inspection system to the Ottawa, Ontario area some 21 years ago and I still do them so if you're interested in that, call me at your leisure.
