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i just moved to a brand new house/development, it is a smaller house/lot than what i have always lived in (wanted to downsize). with that said, i have an oak tree (large tree when mature) pretty close to my foundation (~10ft).
what can i do or what should i do to prevent the root from ruining my concrete foundation?
Assuming the location is in the Dallas area, the builder would be required to run a root barrier or shield IF they ran into the roots of the tree at time of digging the beamage for the foundation. It's a simple and common fix. But you'd need to ask the builder if that happened. Most often the foundation companies see the trees and just do it but obviously only the builder is going to know. The oak though, is a slow growing tree and it will be decades before it's shade. Frankly, I'd take it up and put a much faster growing tree if you want shade. In our Texas heat, shade is money. For an oak to grow one foot in height, an Arizona Ash will grow 10 feet. You can have shade with an Arizona Ash in 5 years and a yard covered shade tree in 12. In 12 years the oak will have grown maybe 2 feet. Oaks are not a short term shade tree and probably your kids might live to see it as a shade tree.
Oak is not good that close to the house. If it's still small, get rid of it. You will hate all the acorns and leaves trashing up your roof even if the root issue is fine. And when it gets big, the squirrels will use the branches as highway to your roof and find a way into the attic.
Clarification:
New house- as in newly built?
Is this a tree that was planted by the builder?
The short and best answer- remove the tree.
If its newly planted it can probably be replanted.
yes newly built, i just moved in a month ago. yes it was planted by the builder's contracter
Quote:
Originally Posted by TrapperL
Assuming the location is in the Dallas area, the builder would be required to run a root barrier or shield IF they ran into the roots of the tree at time of digging the beamage for the foundation. It's a simple and common fix. But you'd need to ask the builder if that happened. Most often the foundation companies see the trees and just do it but obviously only the builder is going to know. The oak though, is a slow growing tree and it will be decades before it's shade. Frankly, I'd take it up and put a much faster growing tree if you want shade. In our Texas heat, shade is money. For an oak to grow one foot in height, an Arizona Ash will grow 10 feet. You can have shade with an Arizona Ash in 5 years and a yard covered shade tree in 12. In 12 years the oak will have grown maybe 2 feet. Oaks are not a short term shade tree and probably your kids might live to see it as a shade tree.
no root barrier/shield, hence why i made this post
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmyk72
Oak is not good that close to the house. If it's still small, get rid of it. You will hate all the acorns and leaves trashing up your roof even if the root issue is fine. And when it gets big, the squirrels will use the branches as highway to your roof and find a way into the attic.
you make it sound like oak trees should not even exist lol
yes newly built, i just moved in a month ago. yes it was planted by the builder's contracter...
Do you know what species of Oak?
Most Oaks that I know of used in landscaping are Pin Oaks and Willow Oaks. Either of which have a mature canopy/root base that far exceeds 10'.
Either way, it needs to be moved/removed. Shade trees should be planted half the distance of a mature canopy +/- 5' from any structure.
you make it sound like oak trees should not even exist lol
I lived in Houston where my neighborhood has tons of old oak trees. So I know how big they get after 40+ yrs. It's too bad that builders or naive homeowners plant these trees right up to the house or in the little patch of lawn btw the sidewalk & road. They need much more space than that and can be magnificent if allowed to grow in open territory. Unfortunately, due to where they are planted, most of the sidewalks in my entire neighborhood are heaved, making them unsuitable to walk on. The roots crackup driveways as well (my parents had to install a whole new driveway, $3K I think). Roofs with lots of overhead branches look horrible, as if they are attacked by moss and **** on by the acorn, leaves and branches. Most of the time, homeowners or electric companies do a whack job trimming the branches and completely ruin the aesthetics of the entire tree, and some do no trimming at all and the tree looks like it needs an overdue haircut.
It's really too bad because oaks can be great looking trees if they are given the space to fully grow as far out as it naturally tends to do.
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