Home › Learn From The Pros › How to Tell if a Tree Is Likely to Damage Your Home How to Tell if a Tree Is Likely to Damage Your Home May 15, 2020 Overgrown trees pose a threat to your exterior, especially your roof and gutters. How can you tell if the surrounding trees are likely to damage your home? By keeping an eye out for the following signs: Cracks or Deep Splits Through the Tree Bark Cracks are a warning sign a tree is failing and may fall down soon. Decay or Fungi Growth Wood decay usually spreads from the inside out, slowly hollowing the inside of a tree and increasing the risk of the tree collapsing. You should have a professional remove dying trees within the range of your home before the decay completely hollows them out. Overhanging Tree Limbs Gale-force winds can easily knock down flimsy tree branches, which could then damage your roof or your gutters. Not to mention under the added weight load from tree limbs, sections of your gutters may start to sag or pull apart from each other at the seams. Keep in mind increased weight load from leaves and other debris becomes less of an issue if you have seamless gutters installed. That’s because seamless gutters, as the name suggests, don’t have any joints and are therefore less susceptible to leaks. Even without overhanging tree limbs, overgrown trees can still indirectly cause roof damage. Leaves and pine needles can still clog your gutters, causing rainwater to overflow onto your roof and exterior. That’s why regular cleaning is a must. If you want to reduce your gutters’ maintenance needs, you might want to try installing gutter guards. Gutter guards prevent leaves, pine needles and other organic debris from entering and clogging your gutters. Of course, not all gutter guards are created equal. Different brands offer varying levels of protection for your gutters. If you’re looking for new gutter guards, the NCR Consumer Reports and Advocacy Group recently named Valor Gutter Guard as America’s best gutter guard. Regardless of the kind of gutter guard you install, make sure only qualified professionals handle the gutter installation. Looking for gutter installers in your area? Advantage Seamless offers a wide range of professional gutter services, including gutter installation and gutter cleaning service options. To request a free estimate, call us at 218.558.0575 or fill out this form. We serve homeowners in St Cloud, MN, as well as the surrounding communities.