Tree Care Basics: A Starter Guide

What Should You Do About Trees Overhanging Your Rooftop?

26 February 2021

Johnni Knight

Living in a home surrounded by trees can feel relaxing and calming. However, trees that overhang your rooftop can be just as much of an annoyance as they are a comfort. They drop leaves into your gutters, and during a storm, a branch may scrape against your roof or even fall on it, leading to extensive damage. So, what should you do about trees that overhang your rooftop? There are two approaches to consider: trimming the tree and removing the tree.

Trimming the Tree

In many cases, you should be able to have the tree trimmed to make it less of a threat to your roof. Hire a tree service to do this. They'll know how to trim back the offending branches without having them drop on your roof and cause any damage in the trimming process. Also, they'll know just how many branches they can remove from the tree without causing it to die back or suffer.

Trimming works well when the tree itself is at least 10 feet from your home, and when removing one or two limbs basically eliminates the interference. You will, however, need to have the tree regularly trimmed, every one to two years, to keep up its new shape. It's better for the tree if a little growth is removed each year, rather than having a lot removed all at once. 

Removing the Tree

Here are some cases in which it's often best to have the tree removed, rather than just trimming it back:

• The tree is a fast-growing variety, like a willow, so any branches you trim away will be overhanging the roof again within a few months or a year.
• Removing the offending limbs means removing most of the tree.
• Removing the offending limbs will leave the tree so ugly you no longer want it in your landscape.
• The tree also has other branches that interfere with power lines or another structure.

A tree removal company can come to take the tree off your land in a safe way. Once it is gone, they can also remove the stump. If you would like a different tree planted in its place, they may be able to recommend a variety that will stay smaller and never interfere with your roof. Crabapples, for instance, tend to stay pretty short and offer a lot of beauty close to a home.

Trees that overhang the roof cannot just be ignored. Have the tree either trimmed or removed before you have to call a roofer. If you have additional questions, contact a company like Pete & Ron's Tree Service, Inc.

Share  

Search