In article UyCkk.579$Ht4.367@trnddc01, "Ray"
wrote:

We have a spruce or fir tree which came up on its own, about 10 inches from
the foundation of our house. At first it seemed to be just a shrub, but it's
now grown into a tree about 30 feet high.

We like the tree, but we're concerned that the root system may endanger the
foundation, much the way that tree roots sometimes cause sidewalks to buckle
up.

Is this a danger?


Mature spruce has a circular root-width of 25 feet round. Yours sounds
mature at 30 feet height, so I'm guessing it has had roots all overt the
side of the foundation for a long, long while. If it hasn't done any harm
yet, its roots likely already decided not to develop in the "dry"
direction through or under a foundation. Ten inches is damnably close to a
house, though, and even I'm surprised that the tree hasn't gotten big
enough around to press on the eaves.

-paghat the ratgirl
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