Your Complete Guide
Do you have a tree close to your home? It’s easy to worry about it damaging your property, but when should you take action? Here is everything you need to know about trees that are growing close to buildings, along with how working with a trusted tree surgery company like Kent Tree Brothers will help you to decide on the best course of action.
What problems can a tree cause if it is close to a building?
First of all, it’s really important to remember that in the vast majority of cases, a tree will cause no issues if it is growing close to a building. So, the chances are good that you won’t have to deal with any problems. However, sometimes a tree can lead to things like subsidence, drain damage or physical damage to a property.
Subsidence is generally only a possibility if a property was built before the 1950s and it and the tree are sitting on shrinkable clay soil. This is because these buildings often have shallow foundations, and in summer, trees can dry out the soil below the foundations. This causes the soil to shrink, and you end up with subsidence.
The other two potential issues are a lot less scary, but they can still cause plenty of stress and disruption. In the case of drain damage, roots from the tree can enter drains and lead to blockages, with older drains being more vulnerable. In terms of physical damage, branches can affect roofs and guttering. They can also lift lightweight structures such as garages and sheds.
What does the law say?
You might think that there’s a minimum distance for planting trees near a building. This isn’t true! No matter the kind of building, a tree can be right next to it. Today, though, most developers plan so that trees aren’t too close to homes, which is why this is a problem you do tend to see with older properties.
What should you do?
If you have a tree that is growing a little too close to your property than you are comfortable with, get in touch with a tree surgeon! They will be able to tell you if the tree is posing any kind of threat to your property and what can be done to fix that. Even if the tree isn’t causing any issues, they will be able to help you with things like removal or reduction if it is blocking light or your view.
Something that you should always double-check is whether the tree is covered by a Tree Preservation Order. If it is, you will need to seek permission before any work is carried out on it. Don’t worry; your tree surgeon will be able to advise you on this.
What to do next
There you have it! Trees don’t usually cause any issues if they are close to a home, but if one does, in your case, a skilled tree surgeon should be able to help you.