So many of my clients are surprised that the little sapling they planted is now a huge tree. It's important when you plan your garden and start planting trees to understand how big they will grow and to keep them maintained in a way that supports how you use your garden. Arborists can help your tree grow in the shape and direction that you want so that the garden is perfect for your family. My blog has tips for the home owner on keeping your tree healthy and, of course, tips on when to use an arborist to get the perfect result.
Living trees provide shade, shelter, and beauty, education for young ones, and even fruit and nuts. However, in return, a mature tree requires lots of water and nutrients. To find water and nutrients, trees send out roots in all directions. Some of these roots may make their way toward your home's foundations and sewage pipes.
While living roots can sometimes pose a hazard to the foundation of your home, dead roots can put your entire home at risk.
Tree Stumps bring Termites
Termites aren't interested in living trees because they only feast on dead wood. If the wood is soft and moist due to the onset of decay, then conditions are ideal for the creation of a new colony. According to studies, 90% of termite infestations in homes occur because of the presence of wood in contact with soil in the vicinity of a home's foundations, such as wooden decking.
However, tree stumps are uniquely deadly in this regard. Even if on the surface, a tree stump appears to be a safe distance from your home, below ground, there may well be a root highway leading directly to the foundations of your home.
In a Few Years, Your Home May be at Risk
The tree stump of an average-sized tree may take a few years to decay. Once it is soft and moist enough; however, it can provide the ideal nesting site for a nearby termite colony. Subterranean termites, which live in the soil and feast on wood, may then travel along the dead tree roots until they reach the foundations of your home.
Even if your home's foundations are protected by concrete slabs or other barriers, if just one tree root has managed to squeeze into a tiny crack, that may be enough for termites to gain entry. Termites only require 1/64 of an inch to gain access to your home and once in, they may cause untold damage before you detect their presence.
Remove the Stump, Remove the Risk
Though having a stump removed might prove to be costlier than you would like, just imagine how much you might fork out if a termite colony gains access to your home.
Remember, the root system of a tree spreads outwards as far its branches, and often further. Such a network of dead roots will not only provide a growing termite colony with lots of food but also a myriad of highways along which termites can travel in future.
If you are thinking of removing a tree in your yard, consider the risk posed by termites when deciding whether or not to have the stump removed too.
For more information on stump grinding, click here!
Share29 May 2017
