What To Do About Roots And Concrete

Everyone loves the appeal of a magnificent tree in the yard or reinforcing a tree house for the children. But could that tree bring specific risks to your home? Under some circumstances, a beautiful tree can be a real threat to the foundation of your house.

Here’s what to do about roots and concrete, what you need to understand about the risks, and what you can do to stop issues down the road.

Tree roots and soil
Tree roots are very vigorous even new, little roots. Because they are compelled to find more sources of nutrients and water, tree roots consistently extend themselves in the search. What occurs as a result of these movements is contingent on the type of soil the tree is planted in.

Foundation damage and concrete
Tree roots aren’t the primary cause of foundation damage, though many feel they are. The changes in the soil’s condition are what cause most of the damage to foundations. This usually manifests itself in the form of concrete damage. In many instances, concrete damage is ugly, and it can be dangerous.

When concrete settles, it cracks and shifts. Depending on how massive the movement is, the structure of your house could be affected. If concrete breaks because of root activity, houses, particularly newer ones, might not be disrupted at all.

When concrete shifts due to settling, house foundations could be considerably impacted. In extreme cases, mainly with older houses, the whole house structure could suffer damage.

How to prevent root-related damage
If you’re concerned about the possibility of roots damaging your foundation, you can take some steps to protect yourself. In most cases, anxieties are when the foundation has been laid, and adjacent trees have long been in place.

One way to handle the problem is to build a root barrier. To do so, you might have to deep down to the base of your house’s foundation. You can chop away roots that are contacting your foundation while you’re plowing for the barrier. If you aren’t comfortable digging in the yard, contact a tree contractor.

The procedure can be a headache, but it’s much better than just trusting that your house will be left unharmed by root growth and weather cycles.

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