What to do When Your Tree Roots are Destroying Your Driveway

Trees are wonderful additions to any yard, but there is one thing that some people find annoying about them. Wherever you plant them they are going to lay down roots, and you simply cannot control where those roots are going to grow. One day the tree you just planted is little more than a sapling and the next it's shading your home and its tree roots destroying your driveway and foundation. 

The truth is that any time one considers planting trees near their homes, it is a good idea to plan carefully not only the type of trees being planted, but also how far and deep the roots will go. Some trees send roots deeply underground without disrupting the soil or anything else near the top. However, most of the favorite trees planted these days send roots out in all directions.

Roots Can Grow Towards any Direction

One of those directions is straight toward the house and underneath the driveway. This is why it is not unusual to find roots that are destroying driveways and foundation of homes throughout neighborhoods. This destruction can begin with minute cracks, but left unattended to can totally disrupt your ability to use the driveway and cause enormous damage to the building.

What to do When Your Tree Roots are Destroying Your Driveway

Are the roots from your favorite trees destroying your driveway and other structures on your property? If so, you may be considering having specific trees removed so that you can have the driveway and foundation repaired. To some, this may seem like an extreme measure, but even if you just removed the offending roots the tree will likely just replace them with others and ruin the driveway again in just a few years.

Remove The Tree Or Just The Roots

So, when wondering whether or not to trim the roots back or have the entire tree removed, there are a few things one must consider. To begin with, if you want to preserve the tree while not allowing it to undermine the integrity of the driveway, you will need to cut the roots that have wandered into the wrong territory. However, when you cut their roots the entire tree can become susceptible to insect infestation and disease.

Furthermore, the roots that have grown underneath the driveway are also supporting the height and weight of the tree. This means that if those roots are no longer there the tree can eventually topple over during high winds. Everything around your home could be at risk when that happens.

Hire Tree Care Experts

The best thing for anyone who finds tree roots destroying driveway or foundation should seek the advice of a certified arborist or other tree removal specialist. These individuals can provide information about all the options available to home owners in respect to saving a tree or the driveway.