Question
We have a newly built home built on a slope with a walkout. It has a 4.5' deep
concrete porch on the front.
The home builder planted a Birch (looks like a silver) with three branch legs
coming out of the soil. If you were standing on the porch looking out, the
tree is planted at 1: o'clock  about 6ft from the right corner of the porch
which is also 11 ft from the sump pump. I want to convince my sweet
husband that we need to move the tree farther out from the house while the
tree is young (planted 1 year). I am concerned about the roots seeking water
and might screw up the sump. We live next to the wetlands and the sump
pump literally goes off and on constanly during a rain. We live in Eastern
Pennsylvania.

With best regards,

Chrisitne Snyder

Answer
I agree with you I would move it away from the sump pump. The root will seek out water and clog lines if they can get into the line. It is best to move it now while it is small. When it is dug make sure The root ball is large enough.
For deciduous trees and shrubs the soil ball should be:

Width = 9-12 in. in diameter/every 1 in. of tree diameter
Depth = 6 in./every 1 in. of tree diameter

For example: A tree trunk diameter of 2 inches wide would need a soil ball of 18-24 inches wide and 12 inches deep.

Dig the new hole twice the size of the root ball and fill with good potting soil and mulch with not more than 3 inches of mulch and water.