Tree Roots and Your Property: The Facts You Need To Know

Tree Roots Can Cause Invisible Problems

Trees towering over your property offer beautiful aesthetics, shade, and design. However, the bigger those trees grow, the more their root structure does as well. It’s important to understand the effect that tree roots can have on your property structures and how you can prevent damage you don’t want. Learning the various issues that may arise can help you to know when to hire a professional tree service, like Dusty’s Tree Service.

For years we’ve helped residents with tree stump removal, tree cutting service, and pruning to ensure their trees are healthy and vibrant. This also helps to remove the risk of roots causing damage. Take a look below to see how roots can affect your property and what you can do to protect yourself.

Issues With Your Foundation

Roots are going to grow towards moisture and will continue to grow out as long as they are not impeded. However, when they hit a foundation, it can cause them to halt in their tracks, or cause problems. The roots are only going to grow in areas where it is easy for them to do so. They are looking for moisture and easy access. You would think that a foundation would not give them that.

However, the reality is, sometimes your foundation in the home may be cracked. When tree roots find a crack in the foundation, they will grow through it to try and find the moisture they seek. When that crack is in the foundation already, the roots will continue to grow through and down under the foundation. It’s important to pay attention to any trees that are nearby and to any type of damage that your foundation may have incurred.

You may notice signs of root damage to the foundation by vertical cracks in the walls of your home, doors and window frames become uneven, windows may crack without evidence of any outside force to cause it, and even buckling in the surface of your flooring.

Effects On Driveway and Sidewalks

Trees that are planted near the driveway, sidewalks, or patio areas of your home can also cause issues you may not be expecting. For starters, these concrete platforms are much shallower than your foundation is. That means it would be easier for the roots to grow under and exploit any cracks or issues you may be unaware of. This can lead to cracking in the concrete areas that lift up and causes a tripping hazard. The concrete slab itself may start to buckle and provide a rough surface. This type of surface can lead to the risk of falling and injury to the persons walking around on the areas that may be unaware.

Plumbing Issues

Tree roots also cause massive issues in the plumbing system of your home. As mentioned above, roots are looking for water and nutrients. What better place to get that than the plumbing system of your home? If there’s a crack or leak in your septic pipes or water lines, the roots will grow to that area. The roots will start to extend hairlike stems into the pipe that you may not even notice at first. However, you will start to notice the effects it leaves in its wake.

Your pipes will begin to flow less quickly than they should as there’s a clog in the system slowing things down. You may notice that the water pressure in your home fluctuates when it shouldn’t be. The drain may eventually completely clog and not be easily removed with an over-the-counter drain cleaner, plunger, or snake. All of this can cause damage to your plumbing inside the home if left untreated.