Into every life, a little rain must fall, and in the life of any tree, a certain amount of damage or disease is inevitable. Most of the time, damage or disease to a tree is survivable, and it usually doesn’t require professional intervention – just some time, patience, and sometimes a little TLC. But sometimes, a tree is too ill or injured to recover, and you’ll need to call in a tree service company for help removing it safely. But how can you tell whether your situation calls for patience and time, or a call to a tree removal service?
Is It a Danger to People or Property?
No question, if your tree is an imminent threat to people or property, you’ll need to call in a pro. If you think there’s a chance that a branch could fall somewhere that someone could get hurt, or valuable property could be damaged, please get it checked out by a professional right away. This is one time when if there’s even a chance of harm, play it safe and give us a call.
How Much of the Tree Appears Damaged?
As a general rule, the more significant the damage to a tree, the more it’s a cause for concern. If more than half of your tree appears damaged or to be suffering from the ill effects of a disease or parasite, it’s time to call in the experts.
Does It Have a Hollow Trunk?
When the trunk of a tree is hollowed out, there’s the opportunity for invading creatures, parasites, or disease to enter the tree. Although a hollow area in a trunk isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm itself, a tree with a hollow trunk that also isn’t looking its best probably warrants a call to your local tree service company.
Are Many of the Branches Damaged or Falling Off?
An occasional damaged branch, especially if the tree is far away from where people might wander under it at the wrong moment, isn’t a huge cause for concern – these things happen, usually as the result of storm damage, or because the tree has branches that haven’t been maintained through regular trimming. But if your tree is losing more than an occasional branch, give us a call. It might be that there is an underlying condition that has caused the tree to lose its integrity.
Is All of the Damage on One Side?
If your tree appears to be damaged or diseased all on one side of the tree, it’s possible that something has happened that has hurt the root system or the trunk in such a way that the entire tree may be compromised (or may be on its way to being compromised). A lopsided tree is more prone to falling, as well, so situations like this are worth a call to a professional tree company to have it checked out.
Have the Roots Been Damaged?
If you know or suspect that the roots of your tree have been significantly damaged, perhaps by a construction project or by visible erosion, it’s good to call a tree company to have it checked out. The consequences of root damage aren’t always immediately apparent, but they can include an entire, otherwise healthy tree falling over quite suddenly, so it’s not a great idea to “wait and see” how bad the damage is before getting it looked at.
Do You See Mushrooms on the Roots or the Trunk?
Not all fungus growth on a tree is concerning – it can be entirely normal for a tree to play host to all kinds of mushrooms, as well as wildlife and insects. But when you notice a significant amount of mushroom growth on the roots or in the trunk of the tree, and especially if the tree is otherwise not looking hale and hearty, have someone knowledgeable take a look at the situation. It might be that the tree is rotting internally with no obvious outward signs, and thus playing host to more fungi than typical.
What Do I Do if I Notice These Problems?
That’s easy — give us a call! As your trusted, local, tree service provider, we’re always happy to come take a look at your situation, let you know what’s going on, and give you a clear, free estimate of what it will take to resolve any problems. Never hesitate to call us – we’re here to help, and we love being able to assist with a small problem before it becomes a huge headache.
