Recognizing Tree Hazards - Berts Tree Service

Trees are important in our lives. They offer many benefits to the environment and provide tremendous beauty.

However, trees can be very dangerous. Trees or branches of a tree can fall and cause damage to property or personal injury. We refer to trees in such a state as hazardous, to indicate the risk involved with them. While all tree's have the potential to fall, very few will actually ever hit something or someone.

This page provides some useful tips for identifying general defects associated with tree hazards. However, evaluating tree defects is obviously best to be assessed by a professional. Regular tree care services will help to identify hazardous trees, and minimize the danger by performing preventative tree care maintenance.

Tree Hazard Checklist

Consider these questions to identify the basic tree related hazards:

Are there any large dead limbs in the tree?
Are there detached limbs hanging within the tree?
Are there any cavities or rotted wood along the trunk or in its major branches?
Is any fungi present at the base of the tree trunk?
Are there any splits or cracks in the trunk or where branches are joined?
Have any limbs fallen from the tree?
Have neighboring trees fallen over or died?
Has the tree trunk developed a heavy lean?
Do many of the major branches rise from one point on the tree's trunk?
Have the tree roots been broken, injured, or damaged by construction?
Has the site recently been changed by construction thats raised the soil level, or by installing sod?
Have the tree's leaves developed an unusual size or colour?
Have any trees in any adjacent wooded areas been removed?
Has the tree ever been "topped" or heavily pruned?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it maybe time to call a tree care professional to evaluate the tree.

Managing Tree Hazards

Bet's Tree Service can help you manage your trees and provide any treatments and maintenance services that would help to make your trees safer, and reduce the risk associated with a hazardous tree. Berts Tree Service may suggest one or more of the following:

Remove the target. While your home or utility lines can't be moved, it is possible to move any property, landscape features, or other potential targets to prevent them from being damaged by a falling tree.
Prune the tree. Remove the dead, broken branches of the tree. Because inappropriate tree pruning may weaken it, trimming work is best done by a professional.
Cable and brace the tree. Provide support for weak branches and stems to increase their stability and strength.
Provide routine care. Older trees need routine care in the form of watering, mulch, and trimming depending on the season and their structure.
Remove the tree. Some hazardous trees are best to be removed.

Recognizing and reducing these tree hazards will not only increase the safety of your property and that of your neighbors but also improve the tree’s health and may increase its longevity!

Ensuring Quality Care for Your Tree

Trees are assets to your home and community and deserve the best possible care. If you answered “yes” to any of the questions in the tree hazard checklist your tree should be examined by Berts Tree Service.

Next time you need tree removal services on your commercial or residential property, trust the Kingston Tree Service experts at Bert's Tree Service. You’ll receive a free service estimate on your tree removal project.

Give us a call at - (613) 376-6015