Trees offer various benefits to people, animals, and properties. They provide shade, shelter, increased property value, and most importantly: oxygen. However, there may come a point where trees become more of a detriment than the value they provide. Namely, they can cause damage to people and property.
To assess your tree for early signs of danger and potential risks, you can take some precautionary measures by looking at a few different areas of your tree.
Tree as a whole
There may be some obvious signs of damage, defects, or decay in your tree that will cause problems in the future. While completing your inspection of the tree in its entirety, ask yourself a few questions: Is the tree leaning? Are there dead leaves or branches? While some lean is normal, your tree shouldn’t be ready to topple over if not rooted in the ground, and should not be actively losing branches – especially in the spring and summer months.
From the ground up
Speaking of roots, take a closer look at the base of your tree. While it’s not possible to see the entire root system underground, you can assess the ground around the trunk of the tree. When you pull back any ground cover – such as mulch or ivy – is the soil raised or cracked? This could be a sign of the tree beginning to uproot. Additionally, be sure to check for any deep cavities at the base; this signifies decay.
Trunk of the tree
Take a close look at the trunk of the tree and make notes of any cracks, splits, cavities, or missing bark. Cracks and splits occurring on a tree trunk can signify a dangerous situation – when a tree is cracked, it’s possible it could fall over at any point. Keep an eye out for mushrooms growing as these can indicate a serious problem: tree decay. This would disrupt the tree’s integrity and cause it to topple over.
These are all easy ways to check for potential damage or decay in your tree, but a certified arborist will give you the best assessment of your trees. Proactiveness is the most important action to take when determining the risk assessment of a tree. If you believe your tree may be dangerous or are noticing early signs of risk, call Kildonan Tree Service. Our licensed arborists will assess your tree and provide the best course of action depending on its condition