Why Japanese Knotweed Is Harmful For Domestic Properties

Plant Invaders: How Japanese Knotweed Can Harm Your Home

Japanese Knotweed is a well-known menace in the gardening world, where its rapid growing speeds and deep roots mean that it can be difficult to get under control or remove entirely. Established plants can grow between 10-20 cm every day in its peak season, where roots can spread up to 7 metres horizontally. To make matters worse, it can also grow in virtually any soil conditions, where it is most commonly spotted along roadsides, waste sites and riverbanks.

But aside from being a reoccurring nuisance, it may not be immediately obvious how Knotweed can cause damage to your property. In addition to creating an eyesore and dominating your garden, Japanese Knotweed can also lead to various financial and structural problems. Read on for an insight into the key issues this invasive weed can cause.

Structural Damage

Because Japanese Knotweed grows so fast and has such powerful roots, it can exploit weaknesses in foundations, paving and other infrastructure, inflicting lasting damage over time. In most domestic situations, the Knotweed infestation won’t escalate to this point, but in severe cases, the weed can easily infiltrate cavity walls, drainage systems and weak points in concrete structures. More evidently, Japanese Knotweed can quickly take over a domestic garden, making this space difficult to reclaim.

House Value

As Japanese Knotweed is a well known invasive plant species, an infestation will be noted if you are looking to sell your home. This could impact your ability to sell your house where you may need to lower the price of your property if there is an ongoing Knotweed problem. The presence of Knotweed should be declared to prospective buyers, where building surveyors will quickly pick up on its presence even if it remains undisclosed.

Potential Legal Issues

Although it is not a legal requirement to remove Japanese Knotweed from your property, it can become an issue if it spreads beyond your own land. Residents can be prosecuted if they cause Knotweed to spread into the wild, whether this is through negligence or improper disposal. Therefore it is always advisable to get an infestation under control as soon as possible, whether through independent means or with the assistance of a reliable weed removal company.

Gaia Environmental: Specialist Japanese Knotweed Removal Services

At Gaia Environmental, our team is specially equipped to end your Knotweed infestation for good. We can provide effective weed removal solutions for both domestic and commercial properties, including gardens, construction sites and council areas.

In addition to Knotweed, we can also tackle Giant Hogweed, Himalayan Balsam and Bamboo. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help.