"Don't beat yourself up about making things worse—maples are just naturally resilient and persistent."
Yeah, maples are tough customers for sure. Had a similar headache with a Norway maple invading my sewer line last year. Thought I'd solved it by cutting back roots in late fall (like you mentioned, seemed logical), but the roots still came back strong after a couple seasons. Ended up installing a root barrier with overlapping seams sealed tight using heavy-duty adhesive—similar to what you tried—but I also added gravel backfill around the pipe to discourage root growth. So far, it's holding up better than expected, but honestly, I'm not holding my breath. Maples seem to have a sixth sense for finding water sources...it's like they're programmed for it. At this point, I'm convinced it's more about damage control than outright victory.
Yeah, maples are definitely stubborn. Had a similar issue myself with a silver maple—roots got into the foundation drainage, and it was a nightmare for months. Tried the root barrier route too, but didn't think about gravel backfill at the time. Wish I'd known that trick earlier, might've saved me some headaches. You're right though, feels more like managing an ongoing situation than actually solving it.
Honestly, I wouldn't feel bad about things getting worse initially—trees just seem to double down when you mess with their roots. It's almost personal at this point...like they're determined to prove us wrong, haha. Anyway, sounds like you've got a solid setup now. Fingers crossed it holds up long-term, but if not, at least you're prepared for round two.
Have to disagree slightly about the gravel backfill—might not be the silver bullet you think it is. From what I've read, gravel can sometimes encourage roots to spread wider looking for moisture, instead of going deeper. I went with coarse sand around my foundation instead, hoping it'd drain well without inviting more root exploration. Still early days, but no new invasions yet. Time will tell if it's a smarter move or just wishful thinking...
"I went with coarse sand around my foundation instead, hoping it'd drain well without inviting more root exploration."
Interesting move with the coarse sand—haven't seen that tried much around here. Sand does drain nicely, but have you considered how it'll hold up long-term against settling or erosion? I've seen sand shift quite a bit over the years if water flow isn't managed carefully... Curious how you're planning to tackle that.
Coarse sand can definitely help with drainage, but I've seen it shift around foundations after heavy rains or snowmelt. Might wanna consider adding some landscape fabric or edging to keep things stable long-term... just something to think about.
