A Little About Trees, Bushes, and Your Foundation

Most people know that a tree without leaves gives a pretty good idea of what the root structure looks like below.  Kind of like an iceberg.  The roots usually go down at least to the depth and width of the height of the tree.  But in some cases, the root structure can go down as much as ten times the height of the tree.

The roots closest to the surface feed the first limbs up on the tree.  Conversely, the deepest roots feed the highest limbs of the tree.  Knowing this might save a sidewalk or driveway.  If you have a tree growing close to a concrete structure, you might consider trimming it up an additional four feet.  This will impede the growth of the roots closest to the surface. 

When limbs grow over your roof, the roots are also under your foundation.  This means the tree will be taking moisture from the ground beneath the home.  Unfortunately, trees require LOTS of water, so they are pulling it from the soil under your home.  This causes an uneven soil condition which can result in the home tilting.  Trimming limbs hanging over the roof line can stop the growth of those roots under the home.   I have been to too many inspections where the inspector advised the homeowner to remove a tree growing too close to the home.  Taking a mature tree out is not only fairly expensive, it can also be an emotional event for people, so start them out well away from the home when they are young.

Another thing you should always do is check the foundation around your home, especially behind the bushes where you cannot easily see what is going on.  Make sure the soil is against the foundation, but does not touch the brick above it.  The soil should be no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of the brick line, and 4 inches is even better.  This also keeps insect colonies from building their nests into the weep holes in the brick (those gaps between the bricks) and prevents water from pouring into those same weep holes during rains.  Check the slope of the soil around the foundation.  If water ponds near the foundation for days after a rain, create a slope away from the home by bringing in top soil.  Slope it 3" for each 3' away from the home.

Tom Grisak Estate Homes Realtors, Inc - Texas License # 0329533

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