What are the signs it is time to remove a tree? The six signs are improper location that can’t be fixed with pruning, or a tree that is a “nuisance tree”, a tree that has flaking bark or excessive dead branches, or a tree that has root plate uplift, or a tree with significant wood-pecker activity, or a tree trunk or large branches that are cracking or splitting.
1. Poor Location That Can’t Be Fixed By Pruning.
If a tree is located too close to a house, or shed, or swimming pool, pruning alone might not be enough to solve some of the problems a tree can create. Trees that are too close to houses can lead to excessive shading of the roof, leading to moss and algae buildup on the roof and siding, and can lead to premature roof failure. These days, many homeowner’s insurance companies insist that no tree branches are over the roof of the house, or they may choose to not renew a homeowner’s insurance policy due to their potential liability from tree damage caused by storms. While in many cases, trees with branches over the roof can be remedied by pruning, in some cases, a tree has a substantial percentage of branches right over the house, and removing all those branches would shock or kill the tree. Also, there are instances in which a tree might not have many branches over a roof of a house, but the tree has a substantial lean toward the house, risking the house in the event of a storm. And, if a tree is located too close to the house, the roots can lead to significant, costly damage to the house foundation, or sidewalks or driveways. In these instances, removal of the tree makes sense.
2. Nuisance Trees
Some particular species of trees are “nuisance trees”. Cottonwoods and willows drop a lot of twigs and branches, and some maples will drop a lot of “helicopter” seeds onto cars and driveways. Trees can clog gutters, and result in additional yard-work. In such cases, removing trees can make sense if the homeowner is inconvenienced by the tree. This can save many hours of yard work each year by removing a nuisance tree.
3. Trees With Flaking Bark or Excessive Dead Branches
While some trees naturally have flaking bark, like Paper Birch or Sycamore, in most trees, bark that is loose and flaking off indicates a tree that is either totally dead, or soon to be dead. With ash trees, the larval stage attacks the area beneath the bark called the xylem-phloem interface. This eventually leads to the bark flaking off. Trees with excessive dead branches are also a sign the tree needs to be removed. Some trees may produce a lot of dead branches (like some oaks) and the tree is perfectly healthy and just needs to be pruned, but on other trees, dead branches, and die-back, particularly at branch tips, indicates a vascular problem with the tree, often caused by insects or fungal or bacterial related decay. A dead tree is a safety hazard and should be removed. Waiting too long to remove a dead tree usually makes the project more dangerous, time consuming, and expensive, as dead trees can be hazardous to climb, and may require using a lift to safely remove them. Additionally, dead trees tend to break into many tiny pieces, which makes the cleanup process take longer than an ordinary tree removal.
4. Root Plate Uplift
If you notice your tree’s roots are up-lifting, the tree is most likely going to fail. In many cases, root plate uplift is considered to be an emergency and the tree needs to be removed promptly. Root plate uplift can be caused by decay of the roots, or it can be caused by super-saturated soil and windy conditions. In the Webster, NY area, areas with heavy clay soil (often located south of Klem Road in Webster, and into Penfield, NY) seem to be conducive to creating the super-saturated soil after significant rainfall, and that can lead to root plate uplift problems. Areas with very sandy soil (which tend to be north of Klem Road or further west, into much of Irondequoit) can also have root plate uplift, particularly in windy conditions, but are less likely to have super-saturated soil since sandy soil drains well.
5. Significant Wood-Pecker Activity
Trees that are frequented by wood-peckers usually indicates that the tree has a lot of wood-boring type insects that the woodpeckers are searching for. Large wood-pecker holes in the tree are particularly indicative. However, a few very small holes in a tree doesn’t necessarily indicate that the tree has a severe insect infestation, or even an insect infestation at all. But trees with substantial wood-pecker holes generally are either in decline or dead, and need to be removed.
6. Tree Trunk or Large Branches Cracking or Splitting.
Trees that are cracking or splitting generally should be removed. While in some cases, cabling a tree, inserting bolts, and doing end-weight reduction pruning can successfully resolve the issues, at least in the short term, trees that are splitting still present some safety hazard, even after these steps are taken. Trees that are cabled are not “fixed” permanently; cabling requires periodic inspections of the cabling system, and may require re-cabling the tree in the future. And in some cases, a split might be very deep, or caused by decay, and the tree should be removed (and in some cases, even a cabled tree will need to be removed). Some species of trees, like Honey Locust, while the wood is very hard, are especially prone to splitting. Removal of a splitting tree is the safest, lowest-maintenance option.
Conclusion
If you’ve got a tree that you’re considering having removed, contact Paul’s Landscaping. Based in Webster, NY, we’ve got the experience needed to handle your project. We are fully insured, carrying general liability, worker’s compensation, and commercial auto insurance. Call 585-775-6941 for your free estimate.
