Long Island's sandy soil pushes a lot of tree species to root shallower and wider than they would in denser soil — part of why heaved sidewalks and driveways show up here more than in some other areas.
Root problems come from two directions: the tree's own root system growing shallow and aggressive (more common in sandy, fast-draining soil), or outside damage from construction, trenching, or soil compaction near an established tree. Because roots typically extend well past the visible edge of the canopy, damage from nearby digging or grading often isn't obvious until months or even years later.
Root damage can work in two directions at once — it damages hardscaping and foundations, and it can also compromise the tree's own stability and its ability to take up water and nutrients, which shows up later as canopy decline rather than immediately.
We look at root exposure alongside the rest of the tree's condition, since the right fix depends on whether the goal is saving the hardscape, saving the tree, or both. Some situations call for root pruning; a genuine species-and-location conflict with no reasonable fix usually calls for removal instead.
This is covered under our Tree Removal.
Free estimate, no pressure — a real person calls back, usually same day.
Sometimes, but cutting major structural roots can destabilize the tree or trigger decline, so it's worth an assessment first to see how much can be safely removed.
The sandy, fast-draining soil here pushes a lot of tree species to root shallower and wider than they would in denser soil, which is part of why surface roots and hardscape damage show up more in this area than in some other regions.
It stops new damage from that tree, but a section that's already heaved usually still needs to be repaired or replaced separately.