The Silent Destroyer That Could Topple Your Home's Foundation
It's beautiful, but it could be causing thousands in damage. Is this danger lurking in your yard?
"Quality is not an act, it is a habit."— Aristotle
There's a silent destroyer that could be attacking the foundation of your home right now, and it's not an earthquake or a flood. It's a tree. That beautiful, mature tree you love in your front yard could be causing thousands of dollars in structural damage right under your feet, and you might not know until it's too late.
As a tree grows, its roots expand, searching for moisture. They can extend two to three times the width of the tree's canopy. If that tree is too close to your house, those powerful roots can press against your foundation walls, causing them to crack and bow. In other cases, the roots can suck so much moisture out of the soil underneath your foundation that the soil shrinks, causing your foundation to settle and crack.
The most dangerous trees are those with aggressive, water-seeking root systems. But what's the number one sign your foundation is in trouble? Look for stair-step cracks in your brickwork or long, horizontal cracks in your basement walls. These are tell-tale signs that your foundation is under immense pressure. Don't wait for the problem to get worse. You need to call a structural engineer or foundation specialist immediately. Your home's stability is at stake.