What To Do When Tree Roots Are Affecting Your Driveway

Trees can make your landscape look very beautiful. However, they pose a major problem, particularly to your driveway. Tree roots have a wider network, which is larger than their canopy. When the roots are close to the surface, they can damage your patio floor, pavers, or driveway. One solution to these problems is to consider a complete tree removal. However, if this is not an option, you can use the following methods to solve the issue.

Use Copper Sulfate to Kill the Tree Roots

When you detect this problem early enough, you can decide to use copper sulfate to kill the root in question. You need to understand that copper sulfate does not travel much, therefore, it will only kill the root affecting your driveway. However, you need to allow a professional to do the job. Copper sulfate it harmful to the soil, so you should inject it into the root affecting your driveway rather than pouring over the roots.

A copper sulfate treatment is only suitable in cases where only one root affects your driveway. If more than one roots are affecting your driveway, then this treatment method can kill the entire tree since the tree needs the root system for its survival.

Remove the Entire Root

This is another way to deal with the roots affecting your driveway. To do this, you need to dig around the root, expose it to the ground, and then cut the root using a chainsaw. This process kills many roots and can assist you in stopping the problem immediately.

One way to remove the tree root is to use a gas-powered trencher. You can find this tool at your local machinery rental shop. However, when using the chainsaw or the trencher, make sure that you exercise extra caution to avoid hurting yourself. Don't take any chances, and make sure that you wear protective gear to protect your eyes. It is important to understand that a chainsaw poses a serious kickback risk, which can cause you serious injuries. If you decide to use the gas-powered trencher, make sure that you inquire about the necessary precautions that you should observe as you use it.

Install a Separation Barrier

It is important to understand that a root can grow again, no matter the process you used to remove it. However, you can use a separation barrier to prevent the roots from reaching your driveway again. Generally, separation barriers are either synthetic materials with copper sulfate or metal sheets that prevent are installed between the tree and the driveway. However, they tend to fail at times, especially when the tree has many roots.

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