There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside wall and
it has been there ever since the house was built some 20 years ago. I
recently read that roots of large tree could damage house foundation.
However, nobody else (including an arborist, a house inspector) who saw that
tree ever mentioned anything like that, although I didn't specifically ask
them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree (maple)
which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may damage house
foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third hand, if that was true,
the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't have built the house 3 feet away
from that tree, would they?

Any thoughts?

Tree roots can damage foundations but if nothing is visable now why
worry. I has a pipe leak in a corner for years, an oak tree 15ft away
found the water with its roots growing in.

"peter" wrote in news:6m7Md.1361$uc.168@trnddc05:

There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside wall
and it has been there ever since the house was built some 20 years
ago. I recently read that roots of large tree could damage house
foundation. However, nobody else (including an arborist, a house
inspector) who saw that tree ever mentioned anything like that,
although I didn't specifically ask them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree
(maple) which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may
damage house foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third hand,
if that was true, the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't have
built the house 3 feet away from that tree, would they?

Any thoughts?



Depends entirely on root type. Oaks have shallow roots systems, while
redwoods have deep tap roots. I had to take out 15 juniper bushes
because they craked my enitre sidewalk, but I've had 40' pines close to
the house that gave me no problems. Ask an arborist.

"peter" wrote in news:6m7Md.1361$uc.168@trnddc05:

There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside wall
and it has been there ever since the house was built some 20 years
ago. I recently read that roots of large tree could damage house
foundation. However, nobody else (including an arborist, a house
inspector) who saw that tree ever mentioned anything like that,
although I didn't specifically ask them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree
(maple) which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may
damage house foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third hand,
if that was true, the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't have
built the house 3 feet away from that tree, would they?

Any thoughts?



If I remember correctly, and I may not, a pine (fir) tree has roots that
resemble a carrot. Oaks, maples, etc have roots that spread out. The worst
of this type would be a weeping willow where the roots "hunt" for water.

But then, I may be totally wrong. I heard this a long time ago.

"peter" wrote in message
news:6m7Md.1361$uc.168@trnddc05...
There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside wall and
it has been there ever since the house was built some 20 years ago. I
recently read that roots of large tree could damage house foundation.
However, nobody else (including an arborist, a house inspector) who saw
that tree ever mentioned anything like that, although I didn't
specifically ask them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree (maple)
which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may damage house
foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third hand, if that was
true, the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't have built the house 3
feet away from that tree, would they?

Arborists if not carefully chosen are just tree cutters, and may
overemphasize "dangers" of tree and roots in order to get a job.
House inspectors, the lowest of the low, often don't catch everything, and
there is no red flag here.
Even reputable builders often leave trees too close to houses in order to
make the house attractive and landscaped to sell. They tend to know little
about trees, but rather building and selling.

Dont sweat the foundation risk unless you see a hint of damage. If curious,
you can dig a test trench along your fdn to see size and orientation of
roots. Roots of practically all trees tend to look for moisture,and back off
from foundations, as under the house it is usually dry.
The biggest risk for your house is limbs falling on roof and invading
sewer/drainage lines, if they are the jointed metal or tile type. PVC with
glued joints tends to resist root damage.

BTW redwoods have no tap roots, as one poster suggested. Nearly all trees
have shallow roots. Here is a quote from the Dept. of Energy:
"Redwoods have the same kind of root system as any other tree. Usually,
the root systems of the redwoods stay close to the soil surface, only going
4-6 feet deep but spreading way beyond the tree, 250 feet in width. " Same
general principles apply to firs.
I have 60-85 foot Monterey Pines that have similar growth styles but smaller
than Douglas Firs, and they are within 18-25 feet of fdn. Perhaps three
feet is a bit close, but as said, I would just monitor fdn, and do test
trench to get root location/orientation. I have also used a bladed punch
bar to chop roots that are going the wrong way, or under driveways.. No real
harm to tree or its stability.

"Roger T." wrote in
:


"peter" wrote in message
news:6m7Md.1361$uc.168@trnddc05...
There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside
wall and it has been there ever since the house was built some 20
years ago. I recently read that roots of large tree could damage
house foundation. However, nobody else (including an arborist, a
house inspector) who saw that tree ever mentioned anything like that,
although I didn't specifically ask them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree
(maple) which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may
damage house foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third
hand, if that was true, the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't
have built the house 3 feet away from that tree, would they?

Arborists if not carefully chosen are just tree cutters, and may
overemphasize "dangers" of tree and roots in order to get a job.
House inspectors, the lowest of the low, often don't catch everything,
and there is no red flag here.
Even reputable builders often leave trees too close to houses in order
to make the house attractive and landscaped to sell. They tend to know
little about trees, but rather building and selling.

Dont sweat the foundation risk unless you see a hint of damage. If
curious, you can dig a test trench along your fdn to see size and
orientation of roots. Roots of practically all trees tend to look for
moisture,and back off from foundations, as under the house it is
usually dry. The biggest risk for your house is limbs falling on roof
and invading sewer/drainage lines, if they are the jointed metal or
tile type. PVC with glued joints tends to resist root damage.

BTW redwoods have no tap roots, as one poster suggested. Nearly all
trees have shallow roots. Here is a quote from the Dept. of Energy:
"Redwoods have the same kind of root system as any other tree.
Usually,
the root systems of the redwoods stay close to the soil surface, only
going 4-6 feet deep but spreading way beyond the tree, 250 feet in
width. " Same general principles apply to firs.
I have 60-85 foot Monterey Pines that have similar growth styles but
smaller than Douglas Firs, and they are within 18-25 feet of fdn.
Perhaps three feet is a bit close, but as said, I would just monitor
fdn, and do test trench to get root location/orientation. I have also
used a bladed punch bar to chop roots that are going the wrong way, or
under driveways.. No real harm to tree or its stability.



I stand corrected about redwood tree root systems. I was either
misinformed by my nursery when I planted redwoods on my property, or I just
didn't listen/remember. I just looked it up he

http://groups.ucanr.org/mgnapa/Artic...wood_Trees.htm :
Redwood trees have shallow, aggressive root systems that can raise havoc
with house foundations, sidewalks or lawn. Almost anytime improvements
compete with redwood tree roots, the roots will win.

Apologies for spreading non-factual information. I usually don't
contribute unless I sure of what I'm talking about, and this time I wasn't.

Bruce

"peter" wrote in message
news:6m7Md.1361$uc.168@trnddc05...
There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside wall and
it has been there ever since the house was built some 20 years ago. I
recently read that roots of large tree could damage house foundation.
However, nobody else (including an arborist, a house inspector) who saw
that
tree ever mentioned anything like that, although I didn't specifically ask
them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree (maple)
which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may damage house
foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third hand, if that was
true,
the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't have built the house 3 feet
away
from that tree, would they?

Any thoughts?



If it falls over and the roots are under the footings then you are totally
screwed.

Otherwise, its a gamble--mosty dependant on the soil under the foundation,
sand, clay....

Solid rock........(eeks !!!)

--

SVL

In article 6m7Md.1361$uc.168@trnddc05, peter
wrote:

There is a 80-ft tall douglas fir tree three feet from my outside wall and
it has been there ever since the house was built some 20 years ago. I
recently read that roots of large tree could damage house foundation.
However, nobody else (including an arborist, a house inspector) who saw that
tree ever mentioned anything like that, although I didn't specifically ask
them about this issue.

On the other hand, my driveway was cracked by a much smaller tree (maple)
which forced me to cut it down. So "large tree roots may damage house
foundation" does have a ring of truth. On the third hand, if that was true,
the builder (and a reputable one) wouldn't have built the house 3 feet away
from that tree, would they?

Doug fir have shallow root systems.

djb

--
"The thing about saying the wrong words is that A, I don't notice it, and B,
sometimes orange water gibbon bucket and plastic." -- Mr. Burrows