Remove Ivy and Vines for the Health of Your Home

Ivy covered buildings and homes may be pleasant to look at but the damage they can cause by trapping moisture, harboring insects and averting exterior maintenance.

Vines not only spread out but they grow in girth and can continue to grow unabated for years.

Old House Web shares the basics to removing ivy and vines before you end up with much more damage that will cost you more in the long run.

Simply cut the ivy and vines at the base of the trunks, as close to the roots as possible. Let it die, dry out, begin to decay and crumble. It should be fairly easy to remove the main trunks and branches, but take care not to remove house parts with it. Remember, the walls that have been covered are possibly compromised.

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photo: chefranden

Charles & Hudson | Comments () |

Caled98

what is the cost to get it removed????

Generac Generator

Very good tips sir, see the Generac Generator

Genevieve E.

Actually, depending on the type of structure you have, the vine may be totally benign. Some vines adhere by sticky "plates"rather than clinging roots, and these will not damage masonry. Vines which cling by small roots on the vine can do damage. If the structure is vinyl, it is not a concern at all. Other vines only climb by tendril-ing around a lattice structure; these tend to be the most manageable and docile of all.

As far as insects go, what is there to say that those aren't beneficial insects seeking cover in the vines? Many predatory insects which kill the "bad" bugs need a place of shelter.

Finally, the other point you address, that the vines make a house look unkempt, that is in the eye of the beholder. They reduce energy costs by adsorbing solar energy, and they produce oxygen for clean air. Their roots can filter pollutants immediately near the home, and they reduce the burden on our stormwater systems. The vines also serve our native bird and pollinator communities when they provide berries, nesting matter, nectar, and pollen for the bees to make honey.

I would actually be more interested in a house with a "green wall", as they call it, than one without.

Allison

Our masonry company said to cut off the vine at the ground, but to wait to pull off the vine from the house until after the winter. This way it dies and then is easier to remove without damaging the brick. Some of those tendons, as I call them, are monstrous.

Charles & Hudson

Good tip - the "monstrous" vines will take months to fully die and release their hold. Best time to cut is probably now so the cold really gets them.

beth

is it wrong to want to sneak over and cut the ivy at a neighbor's house? ;)
it sounds so simple, i don't know why people leave it there.

Charles & Hudson

It might be an improvement over your neighbors current exterior. If maintained it can look pretty and add character to an otherwise plain exterior but I guess you need to weigh the costs.

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