Why is ivy growing up my wall supposed to be terribly damaging to the building?

Beautiful old college buildings and ancient manor-houses in Europe have ivy-covered walls yet they have stood for centuries. But here, it is said that the insurance company will cancel your homeowner's insurance if your agent sees that you've let a brick wall get covered with ivy. And sure enough, I found that the ivy started eating away at the mortar between the bricks, it really did. It also began to twine around a window and ate into the wood of the window frame. So how can it be that it doesn't damage beautiful ancient buildings and garden walls?

Why is ivy growing up my wall supposed to be terribly damaging to the building?
It isn't that it doesn't damage other buildings, it is that the ivy is cut back every so often and the bricks are re-pointed (re-mortared). These facilities have the funds for preventive maintenance. The average homeowner either does not have the funds or doesn't have the knowledge to stay a step ahead of potential problems.


Hope this helps.
Reply:Because now they make houses out of wood and not stone. As the 'improvements' of time come, the slacks do too. We don't build them like they used to.





Trilli
Reply:You would be surprised to see the kinds of damage ivy can do. The person who wrote before me is correct. I have seen it ruin wood, push the cement out of bricks...it can do major damage. Like everything else...moderation and culitvation under control is what's needed. Best of luck
Reply:2 reasons I would say, firstly, acient house's like this were probaly built better and can take a lot more than moderner house's can, secoundly despite the ivy eating away there is the slightest chance that it kept the building together with its roots.