Seeing vines on homes has been a classic style over the decades. However, have you ever thought about how those vines are affecting the home’s structure? There are right ways and wrong ways to host vines on your home. We’ll go through how vines can damage your roof as well as how you can avoid unnecessary damage.
How Can Vines Damage My Roof?
The majority of climbing vines adhere to common surfaces by using features like clinging roots, twining tendrils, and sticky pads. Some of the most common issues come from clinging root and sticky pad-type vines. These vines have the highest potential to cause damage to a home’s roof and siding. When it comes to twining tendrils, they can grow around a pillar, railing, or other support, but when it grows on the side or top of a house, it can cause severe damage. Whether your vines are growing by twining tendrils or aerial roots, vines will often take advantage of cracks and crevices to anchor themselves to surfaces. Although this simple adherence may seem small, it can lead to more significant cracks and damage in your shingles. Many vines can squeeze beneath spaces in-between shingles and eventually pull them away from the structure.
Different Types of Vines Create Different Effects
There are several ways to avoid damaging your shingles. One way is to choose a type of vine that is less likely to create damage. As roofing professionals who have been around for a while, we recommend avoiding ivy. Ivy has very tough clinging roots and is also known to be invasive to your home. Creeper vine is most likely the best choice if you are looking for a classic look without damaging your roof. You can always check with your local nursery to find out the best option for your home as well.
Quick Tip: Grow Your Vines on a Trellis
One of the best ways to avoid vine damage on your home is to train your vines to grow on a trellis. We recommend putting these trellises about 15cm away from the side of your house. The vines will adhere to the trellis and not to the surface of your home, protecting it from any damage. Your vines should hold just as they would have on your actual house. Trellises can also include a hinge at the bottom for the whole structure to tip forward when you need to get to the side of your house. So, your vines can be removed for painting and cleaning when required.