Living Green
Leaky Pipes
By Bryan Hayes
“You have a fountain in your front yard?” He said as I opened the door.
What? I thought. “I don’t have a fountain.”
Stepping outside, I noticed the water gushing in the middle of my yard.
“You do now.” From behind me, he said.
The fountain was the product of an underground busted pipe. When they came to fix the issue, it became a rather interesting learning opportunity for me. I was educated not only about my problem, but the issue of the deteriorating infrastructure that is not only a local but national issue.
With time there is the normal wear and tear that affects everything. When it comes to water mains, pipes crack and eventually break as was the case in my yard. My fix though, luckily, was rather simple. They replaced the piece of pipe that had cracked and eventually burst. There are also other options available, according to fellow Living Green writer Jathy Garcia who provided additional insight.
Often times, home owners do not realize the consequences of planting trees close to their house, according to Jathy. As the Vice President of Hi-Tech Plumbing and Air, Jathy sees it all too often. Often times it is out of sight, out of mind.
We have beautiful trees growing throughout Florida and on both residential and industrial property. Those same trees can be problematic, because trees are living organisms. Trees need four things in order to survive: sunlight, soil, water and air.
While trees provide incredible benefits, they also can pose a potential danger when planted close to homes. As I have witnessed firsthand at another house I was living at, the roots of trees will literally seek out water.
We had a rather large ficus tree in our front yard. The tree stretched outwards providing some much pleasant shade. While the tree was rather beautiful, it also had a hidden secret.
Below ground the tree was thirsty and literally sought out a water source. The water came in the form of the pipes where when they dug they found that the roots had literally encircled the pipes in one area to the point where they had cracked them. What was most surprising to me is how far away from the base of the tree the roots had traveled underground.
The sewer pipes were made out of clay, and the combination of their age coupled by the root intrusion were too much. It was an older home, and it is a pretty simple equation. The older the home is the more likely that the sewer and water pipes are also old.
The most common types of water pipes are made out of PVC, CPVC, PEX, Copper, and Galvanized. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. If you have new or older property, a recommendation is to contact a trained professional to ensure that your underground infrastructure is sound.
In the event that your pipes need replacement there are options. One is to have the pipes lined. This is a process whereby the existing pipe is fitted with an epoxy liner that seals and reinforces thereby strengthening the pipe. This is not a budget-friendly option, but does offer a long-term solution which may be beneficial especially in commercial developments where cost is not as much an issue.
For the more traditional fix, Jathy Garcia with Hi-Tech Plumbing & Air, understands the dynamics and complexities of plumbing and can provide further insight. They can help not only by diagnosing an issue but by resolving it in the most professional manner. So if you are wondering if your trees may be posing a potential danger to your infrastructure, give Your Plumber in a Skirt a call at Hi-Tech! (561) 232-3288.
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Bryan Hayes is an actor, amateur photographer, business consultant and full-time lover of all things living. To check out more from Bryan Hayes, please visit his blog at:http://outofthehaze.wordpress.com/
