Can Palm Tree Roots Cause Damage? Some trees are more prone to damaging foundations than others. Roots can be far-reaching, so excavate a few feet in each direction to ensure you are seeing the whole scope of the root system. If you need a proper oak tree fertilizer, we wrote a guide on the best fertilizers for your oak tree! This is so especially if the tree has intrinsic value. Most foundation damages are caused by adjacent trees. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. If roots encounter a solid structure, they usually redirect, but if there is a flaw in the foundation, they are likely to exploit the opening. Washingtonias, which are warm temperate palms - adapted to dry summer, only devour concrete, when planted to closely, through extension of root zone above ground. as a general rule, it is always prudent to remember that the closer you get to the tree, the higher the chances of seriously injuring it. I've read generally that king palm tree roots don't typically damage concrete very much, due to their thin diameter and tendency to grow in the path of least resistance. In clay soil types, this moisture absorption causes the soil to shrink. The tree roots, in their search for water, will increase the drying out of the soil in the surrounding area . The trees to look out for are trees with shallow roots that grow relatively fast. The root zone extends horizontally from the tree for a distance at least equal to the tree's height. Citrus Trees - Lemon, Mango, Orange and Grapefruit While citrus trees are the source of many wonderful tasting fruits, they can also be the source of extreme damage to a home's plumbing and sewer system. Palm trees, even the shortest ones, can have a root ball which is around 24 inches in diameter when removed from the ground, but sometimes the root ball thats dug up can be up to 6 in diameter. PS Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. You will not have any problems with your garage foundation. Thereafter, proceed to use a spade to clear the topsoil from the cutting area and then cut the roots with a root saw. Even if your foundation damage isnt caused by stingy tree roots, you can use this method to fix your foundation. With how tall palm trees get, you might be inclined to think that they need root systems that go deep into the ground to keep them standing in high winds. Trim and maintain all tree roots to prevent foundation damage. In reality, a lot of palm tree roots wont get any wider than your thumb. Tree roots usually aren't strong enough to penetrate a house foundation. You might decide to trim the roots, but you never know more roots might grow in the future and head towards the foundation as well. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This also applies to trees that are pest magnets. The soil around a foundation can also be loosened and shifted by the roots of a palm tree, leading to instability and potentially . To do so safely, you will need first to measure the trees diameter in inches and then multiply the diameter by either 5 or 8. Large trees, like the peepal, should not be planted too close to the house as their roots can damage the foundation of the house. Because wood requires nitrogen during its composition process, providing it with more of this nutrient can speed things up. What best tree distance from foundations should be considered before planting trees? Leaf Identification, 9 Cypress Wood Uses (And Why Its So Valuable + Expensive), Tree Moss in Florida: Why it Happens and What To Do, Moss On Your Oak Tree? How to Tell if a Tree is Damaging Your Homes Foundation, How to Prevent Foundation Damage from Trees. This typically works best if your foundation is built on clay soils. They are also useful in cases where a trees roots have been cut. Answer: The HO 03 has no exclusion for tree-root induced damage . Just because a tree is growing nearby and the house has foundation issues doesn't mean the two are related. Trees can add a lot of value to your landscape and they provide shelter, food, and shade to plenty of little critters that can be fun to watch. Some trees can draw as much as one hundred ninety gallons of water per day. By Will Magnolia Tree Roots Damage Home Foundations? The simple answer is that these fruit trees are accustomed to warm and sunny climates, but, Read More 4 Reasons Why Avocados Grow Best In Full SunContinue, Your email address will not be published. A tree growing too near to a house may cause damage to the foundation, and this can bring a huge problem afterward. Tree Root Intrusion in Sewer Systems: Review of Extent and Costs. Some of these plants are commonly called "moss," such as Spanish moss or ball moss, but they aren't moss. Tree roots can damage building foundations, as well as sidewalks and pavements. 60-80 years. There is also the risk that tree roots will simply 'follow' and grow under a barrier since the trenching that is required to fit a barrier also introduces air and water, making an attractive growing environment to roots. Every part of nature serves a purpose. Planting them at a distance that is over 25 feet will make it harder for their roots to reach your homes foundation. And while they wont penetrate your homes foundation, they will cause a pressure imbalance in the soil that is adjacent to your homes foundation. More Palm root stories for other genus if anyone is interested. Ive planted many palms and seen many old ones planted near concrete, and I planted a number near pavers which should be easier to lift. Two types of spruce trees can cause foundation damage. Before you plant a tree, find out about the nature of its root system. If tree roots grow deep enough and far enough to reach below the foundations of a house, they are likely to force the foundation upwards. These roots are highly likely to exploit any crack, hole, or break they encounter in a house foundation. Sagos and other palms do not have woody roots like most of our woody ornamentals but they are massive and will continue to grow in length as long as the palm is alive. stopping them from growing under the homes foundation, select a tree with roots that are less invasive. If the tree poses more danger to your foundation, it is advisable to remove the entire tree. Some ash trees can grow up to 100 feet tall. The thin roots bind to the soil, holding the soil particles together and making the tree sturdier. Still, a significant advantage to growing small trees near a house is that they tend to have shallow, non-invasive root systems that pose little to no threat to any structure. The tree is slow to mature, bearing coconuts in six to 10 years. As the roots grow and spread out from the tree, they naturally form a root ball under the trunk. So, how exactly do roots shrink the soil? The worst trees for subsidence are Oak, Ash, Poplar, Willow, and Sycamore. Other terms may apply. This can be problematic for foundations, especially because the roots are fast-growing. Oak - Though this tree is one of the strongest and most beautiful you can plant in a yard, they are also devastating on foundations. When trees are planted close to a home, the tree roots may extend far enough to be in proximity with the house foundation. Cover small trees with sheets or blankets. If youre not sure, you can always use something like the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees to help you figure out what youre looking at! However, tree roots cause damage to foundations in two ways. Slow-release chemicals can be used as growth inhibitors in residential areas to prevent root growth. Home Guides recommends leaving 11-12 feet between any large palm trees and your pipes, just to be certain there won't be problems in the future: Palm tree roots are narrow and shallow and do not generally damage pipes. The most damaging trees to house foundations include oak, ash, and poplar trees. You cannot paste images directly. I also harvest the fruit in about a year and then cut that shoot down (surprised you have not had fruit yet -- they only give one . This site is owned and operated by Pest Pointers LLC | treejourney.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Furthermore, trees with extensive root systems can damage pool walls or pool plumbing. Owning a home can be a wonderful experience. Some root barriers need to be replaced over time as they may corrode or break down in the soil, but others are tough enough to remain in the ground for many years without needing a replacement. As they move through . Damage of this type will require immediate repair before it becomes too severe for the building to be safely livable. These trees have a high potential to do damage underground. [15] But still no lifting of the slab after 30 years All three plants are way robuster than a king palm, yet no lifting of the concrete. Roots will look for the most advantageous path to grow. Many houses have multiple trees growing nearby, and some have trees growing immediately beside the house. Oak trees generally have a long lifespan. Some trees are excellent additions to a home and can drastically improve the houses appearance and may even increase the property value. This is why palm trees regularly survive hurricanes without being toppled. (That location is essentially where the old garage was, and is consistent with zoning regulations and our building permit.) Other trees are likely to cause damage to the foundation of a house, but these are the most common culprits, as these trees are pretty common in many residential areas. [14] Their roots are very difficult to control even with herbicides. Roberts, J., Jackson, N., & Smith, M. (2006). Cheers. Trees such as the Japanese Maple and the Crabapple tree are good options. Those kings will grow up and soon there will just be trunks and the crowns will be well overhead. Tree roots can damage building foundations, as well as sidewalks and pavements. In addition this tree is deciduous and drops its leaves in the autumn, cause blocked gutters and down pipes. Do Roaches Come Back After Extermination? Not to be confused with palm tree stump killer, palm tree stump rotting aids generally contain some form of nitrogen. If you have other questions, feel free to send me a PM (Private Message.). Palm tree roots are very thin and fragile. They can cause the foundation to shift, something that will then lead to cracks and in some cases an entirely compromised foundation. The roots of a palm tree can potentially cause damage to a foundation, especially if the tree is not properly cared for. Since the Queen palm tree root system enables them to have shallow root, which does not go beyond 24 inches deep, down from the ground, it is less likely to damage foundation or pipes. That's why Chin from California wanted to make sure she got it right. Removing the offending root is also an effective method of protecting your homes foundation. To be fair, tree roots themselves are not the direct cause of foundation damage, though many homeowners believe they are. The worst trees to plant near a house are oak, ash, and poplar trees, as these species are the most likely to cause this type of damage to the foundations of a house. To recap, the trees most likely to damage your foundation include: There are a host of other potentially damaging trees, but these 9 seem to be the most often talked about and the most destructive. That's the woodpile my Dad and I cut/stack for 10+ years to heat up our family home in Upstate, NY. In addition to being a danger to your foundation, some oak species are prone to limb drop. Foundation Repair Tip of the Day #175 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiUf6cIOllY). And cute little trees that grow into huge monsters can block the sun's warmth, or may even block the sight and sounds of the pool, which can be unsafe. This makes older foundations especially susceptible to poplar tree roots. As the roots continue to grow, they will take up more and more space beneath your house, literally lifting the building by tiny fractions. Theres really only one way to tell if tree roots are damaging your foundation, and thats to physically look beneath the soil near your foundation and check for roots. The distance will offer a reliable buffer against root invasion, making things safer for your foundation. However, if you uproot the tree, there is a potential for damaging the foundation of your home. Many tree species are bad for house foundations, but some are worse than others. Should I remove a tree that is close to my home? Silver maples are known for their massive and fast-growing root systems. Other trees have roots that grow thicker as they mature, which can lead to a crack in a sidewalk or concrete surface. They have a compact root system because they absorb nutrients from the top layer of soil rather than deep underground like trees that use taproots. If the foundation problems are caused by the soil shrinking from loss of water, this addition of water can swell the soil back to its original level, closing the cracks. National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees, the best fertilizers for maple trees here. They can get under the foundation and raise up the building, or they can shrink the soil by removing water from it. This can be made easy if you draw a line from the nearest tree to your house and simply dig around this area of your foundation. Something like DeepRoot Tree Root Barrier can help guide destructive roots away from your foundation, paved driveway, or sidewalks. This is somewhat unusual, but it can happen. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Silver maple trees. Having an expert handle the removal process will be safer, and in some cases, it can end up saving your money. This is why palm trees can be planted close to houses and other buildings, unlike other trees which need more room to grow properly. They have temperatures that are more than warm enough during the summer months, but when winter rolls around it completely wrecks warm weather palm trees like the Canary Island Date palm or Queen palm. The result is the potential loss of the tree, or foliage dieback on at least one side of the crown. If you choose a tree that has a very large root system, it may need to be planted 50' away from the foundation, if possible. Jim in Los Altos, CA SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level. These trees have a high potential to do damage underground. Most trees have a 20 to 40-foot mature canopy. I've been conducting professional home inspections since 2002. [13] Use herbicides instead. In such a case, installing a root barrier will keep the roots from regrowing in the direction of your homes foundation. This, in turn, causes the foundation to settle. Figure 2: Highly visible tree protection barriers. The roots that belong to palm trees tend to be thin and narrow and therefore don't have the strength to cause any damage to a heavy foundation. More, if youre able. We recently rebuilt our garage including a second floor rec room, one foot from the property line with our neighbor. The neighbor now wants to plant 4 king palm trees, with starting heights of 10-12 feet,on his side of the garage, possibly as close as a foot away from the garage. Yes, the roots could damage the foundation. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Therefore, it is always advisable that such trees be planted a safe distance away from a homes foundation. Absolutely harmless. Be sure to check out what kind of trees are around your home to figure out if you have one of the more damaging trees around. Apparently, the roots were cracking Patel's walkway. Unlike oak, ash, and poplar tree, not all maple trees are bad for your foundation. Removing such trees may be more convenient when compared to the headaches of pest control and mitigating pest damage. They will generally extend beyond the canopy, though. Removing the tree seldom resolves the problem as the drain remains damaged and can leak (possibly causing foundation damage) or may be infiltrated by the roots of other plants unless the drain is repaired. Do Palm Trees Bloom? Eucalyptus Trees (Gum Tree) Trees that have extremely aggressive root systems, and whose roots tend to grow laterally, are common causes of damaged foundations. I have lots of palms near my concrete, nary a problem. Palm trees use a root-initiation zone as their main root production center. Purdue University: Question: Can Tree Roots Cause Damage to a Homes Foundation? You will not have any problems with your garage foundation. As an affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. 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