The feeling of having beautiful, healthy trees around your yard is one that simply can’t be beaten. However, having some of these majestic trees on your property can be highly demanding—especially when they start to reach maturity.
First, you may need to prune regularly to keep the canopy away from your roof or the utility lines overhead. But there’s an even bigger worry underground. The tree roots will grow and expand over time.
Can tree roots damage the foundation of your home? Is it just a nightmare scenario that rarely translates to reality? Humboldt’s skilled tree service specialists cover the details you need to know.
Tree Roots Can Damage a Home’s Foundation
Tree roots generally grow outward and then downward to draw water and nutrients to the tree. As they grow closer to your home’s foundation, the risk of damage increases. Roots can damage your foundation in the following ways.
Soil Shrinkage and Drying
Tree roots absorb a lot of the soil moisture around them. This can dry up the soil around the foundation, causing it to shrink. The shrinking soil can pull away from the foundation, causing gaps to form around it. The gaps can cause foundation settlement, leading to cracks and structural problems.
Root Infiltration
Tree roots often grow through gaps instead of around them. Therefore, if your foundation already has some minor cracks, the roots can grow into those cracks and widen them. If the foundation is intact, the roots will grow around it. However, that still leads to the problem of soil shrinkage above.
How To Prevent Possible Foundation Damage As Your Trees Grow
Can tree roots damage the foundation of your home? Yes. However, you can avoid having to worry about your home’s structural integrity by doing the following.
Plant Your Trees at a Safe Distance
This is the surest way to prevent foundation damage. Plant the trees at a safe distance from your foundation. Ideally, you should leave at least 20 feet of distance between your home’s foundation and the base of any medium-sized or large trees. But the more space you can allow, the better.
Install Root Barriers
If you don’t have the space to spare, you can stop the tree roots from growing toward your foundation by installing a root barrier around the planting hole. Focus on forming a shield around your foundation while still allowing the tree roots some room to move.
As the roots grow, the barrier will redirect them away from your foundation.
Trim the Tree Regularly
The size of the tree’s canopy affects the spread of the root system. You can keep the tree’s roots within manageable limits by trimming the canopy regularly.
Contact 3 Dads Tree Services for Expert Solutions
Can tree roots damage the foundation of your home? Yes, but you can prevent it. Do you need help with keeping your tree’s roots in check? Do you want to know what tree has deep roots?
Contact 3 Dads Tree Services in Humboldt County, CA, at 707-506-6602 to schedule a consultation.