How Those Beautiful Vines May Be Harming Your House

By Bridget Coila

February 14, 2025

Seeing a vine-covered home might bring thoughts of idyllic countryside living and romantic cottage getaways — but the reality is far less exciting.

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Damaged roof shingles, disintegrating bricks and cracked siding are likely results when you have vines growing on your house. Fortunately, there are ways to get the look of gorgeous trailing vines without the heavy repair bills.

Should You Let Vines Grow on Your House?

In general, you shouldn't let vines grow directly on your home. The risk of damage from growing vines is too high, no matter how pretty it looks. Vines that are capable of creeping up the side of your house use tiny tendrils to attach themselves to the surface, and these adhesive tendrils can make their way into the wall or roof.

Vines can also trap moisture, which could lead to rotting if you have exposed wood or composite siding on your home. They can creep into gutters and cause clogging or dive beneath the eaves of your home to get inside.

Even if you're willing to take the risk of letting vines grow on your home, you might decide later that you prefer a home that isn't covered in vines. Removing them can be a costly, time-consuming process, and some vines are almost impossible to get off the surface of your wall or roof without sustained effort.

Can Vines Harm Your House?

Vines harm your house in a few ways. The biggest potential issue is damage to your roof or exterior walls. Adhesive tendrils from the vines invade any space they can. This might include the space between roof shingles or tiles, mortar between bricks in a wall or tiny cracks in your siding. Vine tendrils put pressure on these spaces as they grow, which can cause cracks or disintegration.

In most cases, new and undamaged mortar or siding can withstand a few vines, but you never know when a vine might find a tiny foothold that lets it creep into the actual home structure.

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Can You Get Rid of Vines Growing on Your House?

The easiest way to get rid of vines on your home is to kill them before they become a major nuisance. Clipping small vines and removing them before they have a chance to grow up the wall ensures they won't attach to anything important.

If you already have large vines growing on your house, don't just yank them off without preparation. Start by killing the vine with a cut 4 to 6 inches from where the plant rises out of the ground. Remove a section of the stem to prevent reattachment and regrowth.

You might need to use vine killer or stump killer to destroy any underground roots and prevent regrowth. Vines with deep roots might require multiple applications before they're completely destroyed.

The vines themselves may be so embedded that you can't simply pull them off, even after the root is destroyed. A pressure washer or wire brush can help you get rid of any remnant vines left on your wall or roof.

Keep in mind that some vines have thorns or produce sap that irritates skin. Wear gloves to protect your hands whenever you're removing vines.

How Can You Prevent Damage From Climbing Vines?

If you love the look of a vine-covered exterior wall, consider installing a trellis that can support the weight of climbing vines. A wire lattice is another option for growing vines along the side of your house.

No matter what type of support you use for your vines, you should regularly prune and maintain the vines to ensure they aren't growing onto the actual building. Training vines to climb up the trellis instead of your walls lets you enjoy the beauty of flowering vines without the worry or cost of house damage.

You can also choose vines that don't use adhesive tendrils but instead wind gently around a trellis or other support structure to grow. Instead of English ivy, which is a common culprit for home damage, try clematis, honeysuckle or climbing roses. These vines can safely be grown on a home because they don't adhere to your wall or roof at all and require a support structure to continue growing upward.

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