# Can I  burn it?



## patrickoneal (Mar 15, 2017)

I've got a crepe myrtle in my front yard that's reasonably large. It's a nice looking tree, but whoever planted it years ago did an excellent job in placing it directly over the sewer lateral. I've lived here since 2008, and I had to get the pipe cleared of roots last year. I know it's just a matter of time before that happens again, or worse damage occurs.

Can I split it and burn it in my BK? Any reason not to?

I don't really need it, as I've got 3 cords of black cherry stacked, and probably another cord to split and stack for next year, but I see no reason to waste it if I can burn it.


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## Wood Duck (Mar 15, 2017)

You can burn any wood. I don't know anything about burning Crepe Myrtle, but it seems like a pretty dense wood. Burn it!


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## Jay106n (Mar 16, 2017)

We don't get it up here, but hey, its wood. Cut the sucker and stack it. Why not?


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## CentralVAWoodHeat (Mar 16, 2017)

Funny you should ask!  I took down two huge Crepe Myrtle Trees at the end of this summer.  And I say trees because they were huge.  I tried burning some of the slimmer pieces last week and they burned great.  Big orange flames, hot as could be, and lasted well.  I'm looking forward to burning the bigger pieces in a few years.


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## DuaeGuttae (Mar 16, 2017)

We love picking up Crape Myrtle prunings in our subdivision.  What we find isn't large enough to require splitting, but it is a great wood to fill in gaps in the firebox.  What we find is very dense and burns well.

We had a neighbor who had lots of tree work done recently.  He kept most for firewood but put the crape myrtle out for disposal.  When I asked if he minded if I took it, he was curious but didn't want to mess with it himself.  They chainsawed it to six foot lengths for me, and my six year old and I brought it home.  It's seasoning with the oak right now.

Use it and enjoy it!


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## velvetfoot (Mar 16, 2017)

Once the tree is gone, it's gone.  Maybe you'll miss it.  Maybe leave well enough alone and roto rooter once in a while.  I don't really know though.


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## blades (Mar 16, 2017)

If the roots are enroaching in the pipe best to get it gone- eventually a complete collapse of the lateral will occur. Replacing or lining the lateral is not cheap.  On the order of $35/ ft or more + the inconvenience. Just lined the lateral on current property fairly long run- $10g- ouch!


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## patrickoneal (Mar 16, 2017)

blades said:


> If the roots are enroaching in the pipe best to get it gone- eventually a complete collapse of the lateral will occur. Replacing or lining the lateral is not cheap.  On the order of $35/ ft or more + the inconvenience. Just lined the lateral on current property fairly long run- $10g- ouch!



Mine is fairly short, but my thoughts were the same. And if it needs replacement some time later, I can dig up the yard a lot easier without a tree there.


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## Dobish (Mar 16, 2017)

patrickoneal said:


> Mine is fairly short, but my thoughts were the same. And if it needs replacement some time later, I can dig up the yard a lot easier without a tree there.



or wait until it needs replacing, then take down the tree and dig up the yard....


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## velvetfoot (Mar 16, 2017)

I just remember when I overreacted after an ice storm and took a tree down somewhat near the house.  Turned out it had provided good shade in the summer and I missed it


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## patrickoneal (Mar 16, 2017)

velvetfoot said:


> I just remember when I overreacted after an ice storm and took a tree down somewhat near the house.  Turned out it had provided good shade in the summer and I missed it



Well, the other part to the equation is that it grows up near the power lines. The power company butchered it a few months ago, so it's really the perfect time to take it down. I'm not sure if they would come out with a phone call to do that work on demand if the sewer pipe became an urgent matter.

I do hear you on the shade aspect, but not on this tree, where it's planted it's merely ornamental. It's grown large off a steady diet of toilet water, but not nearly large enough to shade my house. I had a large oak tree taken out a couple of years ago to widen my driveway. The only thing I miss is the shade. I don't miss the leaves or the constant sap on my vehicles.


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## velvetfoot (Mar 16, 2017)

Do you think the power company would come out and take the tree down, maybe if you complained about the butchering, whine, whine, complain, etc?  It can't be cheap to take down a tree next to wires.


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## patrickoneal (Mar 16, 2017)

Maybe, but it's cut back enough now that I feel safe cutting it. They really butcher them when they do it. I'll limb it up with my pole saw first, then drop it.

They send out contractors every few years to trim them. I probably should have slipped those guys $20 and told them to drop it and leave the debris.


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## velvetfoot (Mar 16, 2017)

Be careful, anyway.


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## patrickoneal (Mar 16, 2017)

I certainly will. I'm an electrical contractor and tend to be very safety conscious.


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## Jeffm1 (Mar 17, 2017)

patrickoneal said:


> I've got a crepe myrtle in my front yard that's reasonably large. It's a nice looking tree, but whoever planted it years ago did an excellent job in placing it directly over the sewer lateral. I've lived here since 2008, and I had to get the pipe cleared of roots last year. I know it's just a matter of time before that happens again, or worse damage occurs.
> 
> Can I split it and burn it in my BK? Any reason not to?
> 
> I don't really need it, as I've got 3 cords of black cherry stacked, and probably another cord to split and stack for next year, but I see no reason to waste it if I can burn it.


If the roots breached the sewer line and were feeding off that muck, it would be interesting to see how it smells when burned....or maybe not...just a thought. Only one way to find out.


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