# PVC repair around tree roots



## justjoe (Aug 10, 2020)

I'm at trying to get my irrigation system up and running, I haven't operated it since I moved in almost 2 years ago and it needs work. I repaired the main line, zone 1 has a leak and the other zones won't turn on. Fixing the leak first.

It is pictured above, tree roots have cracked the PVC. I'm looking for the fastest fix which seems to be navigating around the roots along the same line. Going another route would be too time consuming and way more digging than I want to do. I think I can easily navigate around the roots in a lasting way with PEX.

Can anyone advise using PEX or black poly to repair a PVC break? Also, can anyone identify the PVC part with the blue thing?


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

Both would work but poly seems like the obvious choice.

No idea what that blue thing is, maybe an anti-freeze adapter. Or something to water the tree roots, which certainly isn't necessary - at least not now that the tree is so big. Pure speculation... Maybe @g-man knows.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I dont know what the blue thing is.

You can go around the roots and cut some, but you will end up with the same issue in the future. I would reroute them.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

@justjoe, I would cut the PVC back well away from the tree roots and bypass with your choice of PVC or Poly. There's no point in having irrigation within a 10 foot radius of a tree that large. So I'd remove the PVC that comes out easy without hacking up the roots. Leave anything embedded in the tree; it won't hurt anything.

I don't recognize The Blue Thing, but my best guess is a "tree bubbler" installed 20 years ago when the tree was young.


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## justjoe (Aug 10, 2020)

Thanks for the replies. Not a good way to bypass the tree completely without running a whole lot of new line. There is a T near the blue device in what looks like a 1 1/2" line. The 1 1/2" line appears to feed the rest of the sprinklers further out in the front lawn. I would need to T in closer to the valves and run a whole new line for the sprinkler currently routed in the tree roots. Then reroute the 1 1/2 line to go around the tree. Sounds like doing it right involves lots of digging. I may put in a temporary poly line while I dig. Alabama clay is very hard and digging is slow, but I need to get some water on the front lawn.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

justjoe said:


> Not a good way to bypass the tree completely without running a whole lot of new line.


That's exactly what I recommend. Get the primary and secondary lines (plus all sprinkler heads!) well away from those tree roots. If not, you'll just have irrigation damage again in the future. Not to mention the tree won't fare well if you're digging around the roots.


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## justjoe (Aug 10, 2020)

I cut out the bent section around the roots and watched the PVC go back toward its original position. It dropped at least 3", so no good way to reconnect anyway as it now runs straight into a main root. Was going to put temp fix in place with PEX, but $60 in throw away materials changed my mind. I capped it for now until I can run the new line. At least most of my front lawn will get water in the mean time. The blue thing is an old shutoff valve. Turn the blue knob and barrier raises and lowers. Odd place for a shutoff.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

Good call. Since that pipe was so stressed, when you do get around to the re-do I'd go back several feet to where the pipe wasn't bent.

And I never would have guessed that was a gate valve.


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