How can I treat tree-related subsidence sustainably?

Homeowners across the UK may not be surprised to know that their home insurance claims could become considerably more common – and considerably more expensive – if unpredictable climate-change-related weather continues. A significant proportion of these claims will be due to tree-related subsidence.

For neighbours in Fareham, Hampshire, tree-related subsidence is a contentious issue. When a arboriculture report blamed miscellaneous tree roots for drying out the soil, local residents started campaigning to prevent the felling of six protected oak trees, which were deemed responsible for clay shrinkage and structural damage in a resident’s bungalow.

The process for treating tree-related subsidence can be complex for homeowners, with insurers needing to liaise with surveyors, ground engineers and local authorities to evaluate the extent of the problem.

According to sustainable ground engineering expert Mainmark UK, there are things homeowners can look to do to prevent the unnecessary felling of trees.

Regularly prune trees and shrubbery

Subsidence claims are notoriously complex, particularly if responsibility for managing the tree lies with a neighbour, local authority or housing association. If a homeowner suspects they have subsidence in their home caused by vegetation managed by a local authority, the insurance claim could be delayed while evidence is gathered as to the ‘root’ of the issue.

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), placed on trees older than 15 years, are another delaying factor, further limiting the solutions to the subsidence claims. To prevent any complex, costly and time-consuming claims with your insurance company, homeowners can take some responsibility for maintaining the vegetation around their property, under the expertise of experienced tree surgeons. They can also advise on the planting of new vegetation in gardens, how far this should be from your property and what species is optimal for the area.

Act fast if you suspect subsidence

The average cost of treating subsidence is between £6k and £14k, with homeowners having to pay sizeable excesses – that’s if your insurance policy even covers you. If left untreated, subsidence becomes a costly long-term financial burden, impacting premiums and decreasing your home’s value by up to 20 per cent.

Therefore, it might be more cost-effective for you to contact an expert and have them survey the problem using specialist technology. That way, you have all the evidence you need as to the type, cause and remedy for the subsidence in your home when you go to seek treatment for your subsidence symptoms.

The standard process for a ground engineer is to monitor the subsidence in a home over a period of time, through a series of visual inspections, crack and level monitoring, site surveys and, in some cases, in-situ assessments to test soil samples. While this paints an important picture of the conditions contributing to subsidence, these can change quickly when vegetation is involved, and the process of monitoring can take upwards of 12 months.

If you are a homeowner who suspects tree-related subsidence, get the knowledge sooner rather than later to prevent higher costs later down the road.

Treating Subsidence Sustainable with a Combined Methodology Approach

Treating tree-related subsidence sustainably must also be a priority for homeowners, ground engineers and insurers, which is where ‘Combined Methodology’ comes into play.

Where legislation often prevents the removal of trees, root barriers (made by pouring concrete into a PVC mesh system), are often used to prevent the tree’s roots from spreading further. Generally, though, cement root barriers are costly, time consuming and bad for the environment. Underpinning and piling also use cement and can be disruptive to surrounding vegetation.

For Mainmark, combined methodology when treating tree-related subsidence is the process of establishing harmony between the built and natural environments.

In recent years, ground engineers have made progress in developing textile-based root barriers using copper, the only compound that tree roots naturally divert away from. To be installed, textile-based root barriers require a thinner access point compared to cement-based treatments and are far greener and less invasive.

While there is still research to be done on solving subsidence claims sustainably, there is more than 17 years’ worth of data to suggest that copper root barriers could provide a solution. For homeowners, mitigating subsidence claims while protecting the surrounding vegetation, involves simple consultation with ground engineering experts, who can adopt a problem-solving approach using state-of-the-art technologies to save the unnecessary felling of trees.