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Climbing Vines And Siding Damage
I live in a 14 year old condominium
development in Southern California
(coastal) with ship lap siding on the first story, and pressed wood
shingles on the second story. One of the neighbors is closing his yard in
with vines, which have attached to the exterior and are climbing the
structure. I am concerned about damage to the building, and would like
some expert advice on what the damage could be so I can be
"armed" when approaching this problem.
Thanks,
K. C.
I'm
not really an expert on these things... but I have often heard about
climbing vines causing damage to wood and masonry exterior surfaces.
Personally, I would NEVER allow any vines to climb on any exterior walls
of my home, because I have seen vines cause damage. While they may look
innocent on a nice sunny day, vines will hold moisture against the wall,
slow the natural drying out after a rain storm, which can cause rot
problems. Plants also provide shelter for bugs that might invade the
structure.
I have seen vines and non-climbing plants get between siding boards and
push the wood apart. Even tiny blades of grass have the power to tear
apart concrete and asphalt paving surfaces, over time. Soft green
vegetation may not seem destructive, but their slow relentless growth
can exert constant, although slight, pressure on building materials and
break apart all sorts of things.
I'm surprised that your condo association has not already put a stop to
this.
In my opinion, if you want a building to last, keep the bugs and the
plants away.
But then, I can understand your neighbor's intention... a nice climbing
vine looks really neat and can make a big difference in keeping a
building cool on a hot day. I have seen schemes where people built a
trellis about 2 feet away from the house, and let the vines grow on
that. It shades the house without actually touching the house. There are
all sorts of lattice materials available at Home Depot etc.
I guess I would want to know: what is your neighbor trying to
accomplish? Can this goal be reached by a less damaging approach? Are
the vines functional or just for looks?
Bruce W. Maki, Editor.
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