The Juniper Tree That Fought Back! - Fixing broken sprinkler lines pvc

[Nifty]

My wife has been desperately wanting to remove a juniper like tree in front of our house ever since we moved in. The other day a guy was next door digging a pool and in exchange for taking some of his dirt he was willing to pull out some trees.

Unfortunately the roots ran right through a T in our sprinkler line and up it all came with the tree roots.

So, I spend a ton of time yesterday digging out the broken pieces and putting everything back together.

You'll notice in one of the pics that I used WAY more elbows than was needed. We've actually had those sitting around in a bucket for about 9 years and I was about to give them all away. Glad I didn't. It was a little more work to use them instead of straight connectors, but hey, I didn't have to make a trip to the store or buy any new fittings!

Tree:


Cutest tractor ever!


Wife super excited to take out wrath on tree


Destruction from tractor / roots:


New pipes using up old elbows


Tractor also ran over a sprinkler riser so that had to be fixed too:

 

[HayZee518]

I don't know about your pvc splicing with all those elbows. Do you know at every ninety degree elbow there is a pressure drop? It may have been better if you spent the extra cash and bought two couplings.

 

[Nifty]

Yup, I got that covered. We've got tons of pressure and the diameter of the supply lines is actually bigger than what we need... in fact they are reduced right before they go to the sprinklers.

Also, the heads are adjustable and I've always had way more pressure than needed and have always had to crank down the volume coming out of the heads, so I knew I had a lot of margin to play with.

 

[Judy1]

Haha! Love it!

Old Southern saying:

Use it up, wear it out,
Make it do, or do without.

 

[sumi]

Haha! Love it!

Old Southern saying:

Use it up, wear it out,
Make it do, or do without.

I like that!

 

[Nifty]

Ugh! I had a pipe / fitting separate and spew tons of water all over the place!

I used "Gorilla Glue" PVC pipe cleaner/primer and glue in one. I've been VERY happy with their other products (original gorilla glue, gorilla glue super-glue, and gorilla tape) but I'm not very happy with this stuff.

 

[Smart Red]

I've never tried an all-in-one product to glue PVC, but I'd be angry if that happened here. The whole purpose of gluing is that it stays put.

On the other hand, I have had the purple goo drip onto the floor and ruin a good bathroom floor when we replaced a toilet. Now it looks like someone pooped next to the stool.

 

[Nifty]

hahaha... pooped next to the "stool"... how perfectly appropriate!

 

[Smart Red]

hahaha... pooped next to the "stool"... how perfectly appropriate!

Sure, laugh away! It is much funnier when it is someone else's bathroom, ya know.

I am so self-conscious about that nasty stain. I am constantly 'reminding' visitors that the room is clean, just don't look at my stain on the floor. For 40 years the room was great. For the past two years I hate it and want a new floor. Problem? That floor runs into the kitchen. Now we're talking big money and unconcerned spouse. Sigh!

 

[Nifty]

Such a bummer! What kind of flooring is it?