What Kind of Damage Does Ivy Cause to a Home's Exterior?

Rodents

• Rodent infestations are a secondary form of damage caused by ivy climbing the exterior of the home. Roof rats like to live in vegetation as well as in nooks and crannies in the walls and roofs of houses. When ivy climbs up the walls and reaches near windows and fireplaces, the roof rats attracted to the ivy are much more likely to enter the home and cause damage.

Penetration

• Self-clinging ivy vines will penetrate any cracks or defaults in the structure of the home. Where the foliage is dense, the homeowner may not notice that the ivy is infiltrating and damaging the structure. The ivy slowly makes any existing cracks larger and causes structural damage to the home.

Fire

• Ivy climbing up chimneys in the spring and summer creates a fire hazard when cold weather arrives. Fires set in fireplaces and wood-burning stoves send sparks up the chimney; the dried out ivy may catch fire if it has grown to the top of the chimney. As summer turns to fall, homeowners may prevent this by pulling down ivy that has climbed up chimneys.

Paint

• Ivy growing up exterior walls destroys the paint job. The sticky "fingers" of the ivy that it uses to climb stain and crack the paint. When the ivy is pulled off of the wall, it pulls the paint off with it.

Moisture

• Ivy growing into the rain gutters holds moisture next to the walls of the house. When the ivy foliage is dense, this becomes a larger problem. The exterior walls of the home that are trapped underneath dense, wet foliage never get a chance to dry out. Mold may become a problem.