Which Trees Have The Most Harmful Roots?

It’s so lovely to look out your bedroom window and see beautiful green trees – it’s relaxing, shading and provides privacy.

The downside to this, of course, is that those big trees are held upright by a root ball that is continuously expanding in all directions.

Even if your tree wasn’t planted too close to your home, you can still run into problems – and often times this means calling a local plumber to repair leaks from tree roots.

If you’ve considered planting a tree in your front yard, read below for some insights on what kind to choose.

How Do Tree Roots Crack Your Pipes?

Roots will find their way into tiny spaces and fill them – just think about the last time you planted your annuals, and think about how they look coming out of their pots.

Well, that can happen in your pipes, if you’re not careful.

While trees will rarely be the cause of cracks in your plumbing, they will take advantage of a weakness – a preexisting crack can be widened and breached by trees searching for water.

Top Dangerous Trees

Not all trees are as bad as others, so we’ve compiled a list for you of the ones to keep a close eye on.

Even if you’ve inherited the tree when you bought your property, it doesn’t mean you have to worry – simply schedule regular checkups with your local plumber.

They can scope your pipes with a camera to check them, or they might recommend a hydro-jetting service that will clean your pipes out quickly.

1. Maple

Silver maples, especially, have roots that are shallow and can become exposed over the surface of the soil where they stand.

They can cause a lot of problems if planted too close to foundations and driveways, but their roots are also quite invasive.

2. Elm

Elm trees just love moisture, and can’t drink enough for their liking.

As a result, they are attracted to sewer lines and drain pipes because they are a great source of water.

They are very good at finding a weak link in piping in order to invade the system with roots and draw water into the tree.

3. Oak

Oak trees are known to get quite big, and can live to be very old, meaning they’re often around and thriving as long as the house they belong to is being lived in – sometimes longer.

Oak trees have what’s known as a ‘taproot’ that grows straight down, and its main purpose is to find nutrients and moisture to help the tree keep growing.

Supplemental roots shoot laterally, and can often cover up to a hundred yards from the trunk, meaning that anything in that radius could be affected by them.

They are a common cause of blockages in sewer lines, and once their roots have wormed their way through a crack, they can aggravate that gap and cause severe leaks to occur.

4. Willow

Willows may be beautiful, but they are capable of major damage to your home’s structure and to the plumbing.

Willows grow naturally in very moist and rich soil, which not a lot of residential yards can supply; the soil just doesn’t have enough oxygen or hydrogen for it to thrive.

As a result, it will try to find nutrients and water wherever it can, including your plumbing system.

5. Birch

Birch trees can get quite tall, which many homeowners like, but remember that comes with a root system that can be two to three times the height of the tree itself.

Birch trees need a lot of space for their roots, and if they don’t have it, they will burrow into and down through your sewer lines.

Not only can this lead to a fairly large blockage, the roots will also damage the pipe as they grow, requiring it to be replaced.

Which Trees Are Better?

A better bet is to plant fruit trees, which don’t expand as widely – as a bonus, it means you can reap a harvest every year that will see you and your friends well-stocked with preserves.

Another lovely option is to plant a magnolia tree – they flower so lusciously in spring that you’ll definitely be the object of your neighbours’ envy.

Lastly, consider an ash tree, which are elegant, excellent at shading your home, and make your soil more hospitable for grasses and other plants to grow.

Contact Peoria Plumbing Pros

If you’ve got a large tree in your front yard, consider spending some time figuring out what type it is and where it sits in relation to your plumbing and sewer systems.

Next, call Peoria Plumbing Pros and service to book your appointment, and we’ll do a quick survey for you, including scoping the pipes with a camera to establish if you have any issues.

We can help you prevent a plumbing emergency with a visit, and we’ll give you peace of mind so you can continue enjoying your tree for years to come.

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