With snow and blizzards now representing a real threat, it should be obvious that trees are on the receiving end of all negative side effects of bad weather. Tree surveys and inspections should be carried to help identify warning signs, which is especially important for the winter season.
If you have plenty of trees near your property, you should be aware of potential problems before they escalate. The only reliable way to do this is hire experts, who know what to look for. The best time to perform a survey is when the tree has shed all its leaves and in the summer, when the canopy is full. Here is a quick list of problem signs to watch out for:
Leaning – one of the most obvious problems trees experience is leaning. You don’t need to be an expert to realise that something is wrong when you see a tree continually leaning to one side. Sometimes a tree is not growing straight up, but is rather naturally leaning, which is not a problem. However, when you see that angle of lean gradually increase, it could spell disaster in the form of the tree toppling over in the event of a strong gust. It is especially important to call for arborists to fix that, because you don’t want a tree smashing your roof.
Dead branches – if there are areas of the tree canopy lacking in leaves, it is important to spot them and further inspect them. A dead branch is very likely to break when the wind is strong or when there is heavy snowfall. Based on where the branches are located, i.e. over your home or some other important place you don’t want to see harmed, you can determine the urgency of the fix.
Root decay – since you cannot look directly at the roots of the tree, you need to be mindful of other signs. Any movement around the base of the tree in the form of broken soil or fungus/mushroom growth is indicative of rotting roots. Begin some treatment right away.
Tree trunk – inspecting the trunk often enough will reveal cracks, missing bark and decay. If a problem is evident, an expert will know what to do, based on the cracking degree or missing bark amount. Also check for nails and other such items hammered into the trunk. They harm the tree and can cause several problems, which should not be ignored. It is best to avoid hammering nails in the trunk of the tree.
Multi-stemming trunks – tree trunks shaped like the letter V have higher risk of splitting in the middle during high winds. Limiting the growth is the best course of action you can take. It is wise to rely on arborists, who usually fix such issues with cables around the trunks to assist the tree in high winds. If you want to be fully safe, you can prune the trunk that leans the most.
Tree surveys should reveal such issues with trees. That way you will know if something is wrong with your trees and what care they need.
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