Home Inspections - Trees

Trees can be a great feature to your home landscaping but also pose certain dangers.  What are those dangers?  

Tree roots can cause damage to the foundation.  They can penetrate the foundation wall through existing cracks.  Large roots can get under the foundation and cause it to lift.  Roots can also leach water from the soil under the foundation, causing it to settle unevenly.  

Other dangers associated with trees include:

• Trees too close to a home can be a fire hazard.  Soffit vents provide access for flames to enter the house.
• Leafs and branches can clog gutters which can result in ice dams.
• Large, older trees have the potential to have branches break and damage the roof or take down power lines
• Roots can clog and damage drainage pipes
• Insects and rodents use trees to enter the structure

Overall, keep the branches trimmed back from the roof and also remember that trees too close to  your home can cause structural damage.