Roots, Root Barriers and Moisture Barriers

How do roots damage my home’s foundation?
As trees grow, their roots can travel away from the trunk to your home’s foundation.  Once the roots reach the foundation, they can press into your home’s foundation, breaking it, even lifting or lowering it, which can cause severe damage to your home.

Tree roots seek water.  They tend to travel to where there is moisture. In most cases they’ll target the moisture under your home.  Once the root reaches under the house, it soaks in all of the moisture in the soil. This contracts or shrinks the soil, cause sections of the foundation to drop and crack.

How can I prevent my tree’s roots from damaging my home’s foundation?
A root barrier or moisture barrier can be used to prevent the roots from ever reaching your foundation.  Moisture barriers are designed to surround the house. They help maintain moisture levels under the foundation in several ways. Moisture barriers act as root barriers by preventing roots from getting under the foundation and soaking up the necessary moisture. Additional diverted roots no longer will push against foundations causing cracked slabs. 

The root barrier or moisture barrier is a less expensive form of foundation repair though it takes time for the results to be seen.