Seven Signs a Tree in Your Yard Is About to Fall
Trees are a great addition to any home, adding beauty to your outdoor space, providing shade, and adding value to your home . But trees are also huge, heavy objects sticking out of the ground right next to your home, and if one of them decides to fall and hit your home , the damage could be significant. Removing a tree and repairing the damage can be expensive, with simple tree removal costing an average of $850 , and if the tree causes structural damage to your home, costs can quickly get out of hand. Even worse, there’s no guarantee that your homeowner’s insurance will cover these costs, especially if the tree is determined to have fallen due to negligence .
Thus, falling trees can be costly and even fatal (one study found that more than 400 people were killed by falling trees between 1995 and 2007). Although most tree falls occur during inclement weather, one of the most important factors is the health of the tree and its roots. Luckily, your trees will show signs of decay, which can give you plenty of warning, giving you the opportunity to inspect the tree and possibly remove it before it ruins your day by falling on top of you. Here are the signs to look out for.
Branches are falling more than usual
A clear sign that a tree is unhealthy and in danger of falling is its branches. If your tree has a lot of dead branches or you regularly find dead branches on the ground around it, it’s time to call an arborist to thoroughly inspect the tree. Dying branches can indicate a dying tree—and even if your tree can be saved, you’ll still have to trim off any dead branches before they fall and potentially cause damage or harm someone.
The tree is missing bark
Does your tree have bald spots? If your tree has several ” cankers “—places where the bark is missing, leaving what looks like a cut or dent in the tree—the tree may be weakened enough to fall. Cankers and missing bark are usually caused by bacterial or fungal infections affecting the tree, and these infections can eventually compromise the structural integrity to the point that it fails and falls.
Have you noticed a fungus at the base of the tree?
Speaking of mushroom: look at the base of your tree. If you see a bunch of mushrooms growing there, this should alert you, because mushrooms eat trees . Seeing mushrooms anywhere on a tree is a sign that the tree is stressed and needs some attention, but mushrooms at the base indicate a fungus is eating the tree’s roots, which will eventually kill and destabilize the tree, making it more likely to fall. over.
His roots have been exposed
Are your tree’s roots visible? If you can clearly see the tree’s roots above the ground, your tree is in trouble. While a healthy tree may suffer from exposed roots (they could be the result of soil erosion, for example), whatever the cause, it is a sign that your tree is no longer firmly anchored in the ground. If the problem gets worse, your tree could literally lose its grip on the dirt and fall over.
You should also look for cracked soil at the base of the tree – the roots may not be exposed yet, but if you see the soil cracking and lifting up, this may indicate that the roots have begun to rise, which means the tree has begun to grow. fall.
Carpenter ants live here
If you see large black ants crawling on your tree and small piles of sawdust on the ground around it, your tree is likely invading carpenter ants . Carpenter ants are not a direct threat to your tree—instead, they are a sign that your tree is no longer healthy , because rotten areas of wood and holes give them access to the tree in the first place. You can get rid of the ants, but you should also inspect the tree to find out what the real problem is and whether it is putting your home at risk.
Has a divided trunk or cavities.
If your tree’s trunk is split by a large crack, or if you see large cavities in the trunk (literally deep holes in the body of the tree), the tree may fall. A cracked trunk begins to split, meaning the tree’s structural integrity is destroyed and it will eventually become weak enough to fall. Cavities can be caused by a variety of things (such as animals building nests or hunting for bugs) and don’t always indicate an unhealthy tree, but if you see more than one or if the cavity is particularly large, it could mean the tree is dead. tree.
The tree leans
It’s a bit obvious, but it’s worth noting: if your tree has recently leaned too much, it’s at risk of falling. A leaning tree indicates that the roots are no longer holding it firmly in the ground, and this may be caused by strong winds or loose soil. It is possible to straighten and save a leaning tree , but only if the tree is otherwise healthy – if it is leaning because the roots have rotted or the tree is sick, straightening it will not solve the problem.