Question
my husband does not believe me (and the articles i've read to him) that the 3 cypress trees he planted 3 feet from out pier and beam home several years ago will most likely cause some foundation problems...also, we had plumber come out to fix what we thought was a blocked line and he said that a 'root ball' was the problem with the pipe and that we now need commercial grade pipes under the house. the bathroom is 40 feet from the trees. do you think the 'root ball' is coming from the cypress? and do you have any other info regarding bald cypress trees and pier and beam homes? he seems to think that the problem is only with houses with a slab foundation. thanks for clearing this up for us!!!!

Answer
The foundation problem with roots are to slab type foundations. Root can and will get into sewer pipes that are not sealed. And this could be from the cypress if they are planted over or near the pipes or from other nearby trees. The main problem with the tree being three feet from the house will be the branches rubbing on the house and causing damage. No tree should be planted this close to the house. The width at maturity is about 40 foot spread. I would move the trees further from the house say at least 20 feet.