Preserve Sugar maple root zone against foundation!

[baumeister]

I am interested in touching base with someone who has experience with preserving root zones next to foundations. Have 2 giant maples pushing a foundation wall. Owner has structurally secured wall doesn't care about further pushing on wall and wants to preserve the trees. Trees have been there for over 70 years. Exposed to severe storms off Lake Michigan. Have lean away from house and anchor into foundation. If they were to blow over house would be raised. If the root zone is cut, I don't see the trees being structurally sound. Hmmmmmm???

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

Your link is not working.

Every tree has its risks. And it is the owners choice as to how much risk they are willing to take, after being informed by you. It is sounding like you may have told them what can happen and they want to preserve at all costs (even their house foundation). It might be worth taking an air spade to the foundation side just to see exactly how bad it is, and maybe do a little root pruning if it is needed.

 

[baumeister]

Sorry the link does not work. Don't have it in html. Thank you for the info. I'm going to use a pressure washer instead of air. There are too many fine root hairs I don't want to dry out and they are all along the foundation. I have a suspicion that these trees are rooted very well and that the foundation may be an additional factor in anchorage working in the trees favor. I went to a conference with good ole Claus mattheck where he showed some slides of how they were anchoring bigger trees on rooftops using structural engineering. Very Very interesting. Not sure roots up against foundation are necessarily a bad thing for trees after seeing these two giants. I wish I could get the pic up. Any help?

 

[RopeShield]

Really need pics.
Centre of mass, away from or toward the house?
Foundation picks as well. Can only see damage due to freeze and thaw if the foundation was done properly.

 

[guymayor]

"I am interested in touching base with someone who has experience with preserving root zones next to foundations.

4' dbh white oak 2' from house. Crack in wall noted 15 years ago. Light crown reduction pruning done 3x in 15 years. Crack has grown a few inches, barely noticeable.

" Exposed to severe storms off Lake Michigan. Have lean away from house and anchor into foundation. If they were to blow over house would be raised."

So prune branches then to lessen lean.

" If the root zone is cut, I don't see the trees being structurally sound."

Why not? Your survey had 2 extreme options so i did not answer it.