We all love our trees, but at times they can actually pose a danger to life and property. Falling branches (or the entire tree coming down) can be an obvious problem. Even if they don’t fall on you or your house, power lines are another important consideration.

There is also the risk of dead, dried-out trees creating a fire hazard, and trees growing too close to the house can damage your foundation and help introduce pests like termites to your home.

Obviously, checking your trees periodically for signs of potential danger is a good idea. Use this simple checklist, and give us a call to discuss your concerns.

• Can I see any rotten wood or cavities running along the trunk or main branches of the tree?
• What about cracks or splits in the trunk, or where larger branches attach to it?
• Are mushrooms growing near the base of the tree?
• Do I see any large, dead branches?
• Are there detached branches hung up in the tree?
• Do many branches attach at the same point on the trunk?
• Have nearby trees died from disease, or fallen for any reason?
• Is the trunk leaning at a concerning angle?
• Have the roots of the tree been damaged by installing hardscape, lowering the soil level, or digging for any reason?
• Do the leaves look unusual? Is their color or condition different from expected?
• Has the tree been heavily pruned or topped?
• Do I see anything else that leads me to believe this tree is unhealthy?

The above checklist serves well as a preliminary checklist for homeowners. But if you haven’t had your trees assessed by a professional in some time, we would advise you to take that step as well. Sometimes trees begin to pose a danger before the more obvious signs present themselves. Give us a call, and we can check the health of your trees, make recommendations for improvements, and help with pruning or removal when necessary.