Why Keep Trees Away From The House

Shady trees around a home provides much-needed coolness at the height of summer, and re-ignites happy childhood memories. However, in those halcyon days the thought never crossed our minds why our parents should keep trees away from the house.

But a sober look at our picture at the top of this post tells a different story. All trees stretch their branches out to admit light. And all trees create a complementary root structure to balance and support one of nature’s most glorious creations.

Four Good Reasons to Keep Trees Away From The House

1… Protect Your Roof from Falling Branches

A tree reaching out over your roof may look cute, but those timbers are deceptively heavy. Try to pick up an off-cut from a branch and you’ll understand what we mean. A falling branch has the momentum to break through the shingles or tiles, and crack the rafters.

This can in turn result in a partial strip and rebuild of an affected roof. This is expensive. Play it safe. Prune tree branches when they are three feet away from your house.

2… Keep Trees Away From the Eaves of Your House

A long thin branch reaching out towards your home is still supple and flexible. A strong wind can bend the tree trunk, and flick the branch like a trout fishing rod. It could slap your eaves and eavestroughs surprisingly hard. Those repairs could cost you more than you expect.

That’s why we say keep the trees in the garden where they belong. Trim the branches regularly, before you need a garden service with a tree saw and trailer to cart the cuttings away.

3… Keep the Eavestroughs Clear for the Next Rain Storm

Trees shed leaves and small branches as they evolve. This can become a virtual rain especially during a violent autumn storm. They fall on the roof where they back up in gullies and against parapet walls. They also end up in gutter systems and block eavestroughs and down pipes.

It can take nerves of steel to climb up a ladder and unblock a gully or eave. The smartest way to avoid this is to keep trees away from the house. However, this is not the end of the story by far.

4… Keep Tree Roots Away From Your Foundations

Tree roots reach out underground towards the house, to counterbalance the spreading branches above. They can crack the underlying structures beneath the ground. Valiant Exteriors can only offer advice because we are not ‘tree fellas’. However, we would like to be your first port of call if your roof or eavestroughs are in need of repair.