Danger ? Dying tree roots under my house - Ask Extension
The 2013 derecho brought down a massive 100 year-old (or older) Silver Maple adjacent to my house. Last week I discovered a large 3' diameter hole in ...
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Danger ? Dying tree roots under my house #447975
Asked April 16, 2018, 9:49 AM EDT
The 2013 derecho brought down a massive 100 year-old (or older) Silver Maple adjacent to my house. Last week I discovered a large 3' diameter hole in my yard. Could this be a result of rotting tree roots? My house was built in 1938 (probably after the tree was established) and has a small crawl space with a dirt floor. I'm concerned about damage to the foundation due to dying tree
roots displacing/shifting soil. Does this happen all at once, over time, and is there anything I can do now to prevent future problems? Thank you!
Prince George's County Maryland
Expert Response
Where is the 3 foot hole in relation to the downed tree? Is this where the tree's stump was ground? How deep is the hole? A photo of the area under discussion would be helpful so that we can determine what is happening.
It has been five years since the tree came down. The roots would slowly decompose. At what rate, we cannot exactly but they should be fairly decomposed now. The decomposed organic matter that results will not take up as much room as regular soil. So, yes, you might see some limited sinking of soil along the paths of the largest roots, but it does not seem probable that this would make a circular depression of the size you describe.
ECN
It has been five years since the tree came down. The roots would slowly decompose. At what rate, we cannot exactly but they should be fairly decomposed now. The decomposed organic matter that results will not take up as much room as regular soil. So, yes, you might see some limited sinking of soil along the paths of the largest roots, but it does not seem probable that this would make a circular depression of the size you describe.
ECN
Hello,
Thank you for your respnse. The Silver Maple stump was ground and it was about 12' from the sink hole. The hole is 3' round and about 2' deep, however when I dig around with my shovel, there is soft soil running horizontally, kind of like a big tunnel. I live near a concrete culvert that moves water during rain storms. There is a tree root in the hole. I see a lot of ground hogs in the area. Could tthis be a collapsed ground hog nest?
Can you please advise me what to do next? How should I fill the hole?
Thanks for your expert advise!
Thank you for your respnse. The Silver Maple stump was ground and it was about 12' from the sink hole. The hole is 3' round and about 2' deep, however when I dig around with my shovel, there is soft soil running horizontally, kind of like a big tunnel. I live near a concrete culvert that moves water during rain storms. There is a tree root in the hole. I see a lot of ground hogs in the area. Could tthis be a collapsed ground hog nest?
Can you please advise me what to do next? How should I fill the hole?
Thanks for your expert advise!
We aren't sink hole experts, and can't say from the photos what is occurring.
We cannot see the horizontal soft soil you mention. Soil moved by water has a distinct appearance, and we don't see that. But, if you do, it would point to a water issue, which you should take up with your County offices. Soil conservation may do a site visit.
On the other hand, it looks to us more like a collapsed groundhog den. In that case, fill with top soil and seed with tall fescue grass seed.
ECN
We cannot see the horizontal soft soil you mention. Soil moved by water has a distinct appearance, and we don't see that. But, if you do, it would point to a water issue, which you should take up with your County offices. Soil conservation may do a site visit.
On the other hand, it looks to us more like a collapsed groundhog den. In that case, fill with top soil and seed with tall fescue grass seed.
ECN
