What Can Happen When Trees Are Too Close To A Home?

We all love to be surrounded by beautiful landscaping and having trees as part of that landscape is important.  But, what about trees on our property, specifically those that are too close to our house?  What kind of problems could arise?  Let’s look at a few of the problems that could arise. 

• Perhaps one of the most obvious problems that could occur when a tree is too closely situated to the home is that there is a greater danger of branches and tree limbs falling and damaging roofs, power and communication lines or even injuring a person.  This is more likely to happen if the tree is damaged or very old.

• Roots are also known to damage a home, especially the foundations.  This can happen when roots find their way into existing cracks in the foundations or if they have grown big enough, they can cause the foundations to lift as they grown under them.

• Leaves and branches can build up in gutters, causing them to become blocked up.  This can present a few problems, one of which could be that water cannot run off the gutters, causing water to begin to enter the house.

• Other problems that can arise from trees positioned too close to a building are fire, which can very quickly spread to the home.  Rodents and insects can also enter a home easier when there is a tree close by that they can climb.

If you feel concerned about whether a tree could become a hazard on your property, there are some things you can do to check.  Have a periodic check over of the tree to see if it is healthy or not.  If you are worried it might be dying or is already dead, it might be best to get it professionally removed. It is not wise to remove the roots first though, as this keeps the tree secure and sturdy.