You Need to Know: Hazardous Trees and Spotting the Signs

A hazardous tree poses a danger to you, your family, and your property.

How to Tell if Your Tree is Dangerous

Spotting a problem early, and getting a professional on your property for a tree inspection, can reduce your chances of having a serious issue. Even when you’re in doubt about a possible problem with your tree, it’s always best to play it safe when it comes to something as important as safety.

If You Find a Hazard

If you spot any of the signs of a hazardous tree, please contact us or a tree service professional to prevent damage to your property and to avoid a dangerous safety issue.

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Your Tree is Leaning

If you have a tree that is noticeably leaning, a professional will take into account different factors, most importantly, how long it has been leaning. Trees that lean suddenly can be a sign of structural issues that could cause your tree to fall or uproot. Has your tree been this way for a long time or is this a new change? Does it continue to change on a daily or weekly basis? These are the types of questions that you will likely be asked during a free tree inspection and the responses will make a difference in the overall assessment of your tree’s safety. Some trees do have a natural lean to them and it may not be a concern. If you are unsure, it’s better to be safe than sorry and get a professional opinion.

If you see any of these signs please call immediately to avoid any damage to person or property:

• The tree suddenly begins to lean
• Change in the lean or the lean getting worse
• The tree starts leaning after a storm
• The soil around the tree is cracked or heaving
• The tree is leaning over your house, a high traffic area, or a walkway

Splits and Cracks in your Tree

Splits and cracks in tree trunks can be one of the major indicators of an unstable, hazardous tree. These can form when the load exceeds the capacity of the stem to withstand the load. Most cracks are caused by improper closure of wounds, by splitting of weak branch unions, or by flush-cut pruning. Cracks can occur in stems, branches, or roots. Several types of cracks and splits can be found in trees, and like other defects, the severity of cracks ranges. 

Your Tree has Missing or Peeling Bark

When you think about bark on trees, you have to compare it to the skin on our faces. They do very similar things: protect what is inside, act as a covering, and tell many different stories.  If your tree has thin bark, it is more likely to peel than a tree that has thick bark. Sometimes, it does so naturally when the time is right, like during the spring months or in the middle of fall. Tree bark that starts peeling toward the bottom is often a sign that an insect infestation has caused the peeling. This happens either because they introduced a fungus or a disease, or because they are overwhelming the tree. Unfortunately, this peeling often makes the problem worse.

If you have peeling that is all over the tree or just goes extremely deep, the unfortunate reality is that the worst may have happened: your tree is either about to die or has already died. A dead or dying tree is a dangerous hazard and needs professional attention immediately.

Fungi is Growing on your Tree

Fungi, in most cases, are involved in tree diseases that result in the tree becoming a hazard. A tree with fungal fruiting structures on several limbs, the trunk, butt, or roots should be removed promptly if it is in a location where property damage may occur or people or pets could be struck by falling limbs or the falling tree. If most of the tree appears healthy, any single branches with fungal fruiting structures should be removed promptly, regardless of the identity of the fungus present.

You have Hanging, Broken, or Damaged Limbs

One of the more obvious signs of the tree hazards, a broken or hanging limb is a clear sign that your tree is, in fact, a danger. However, limb damage isn’t always so obvious. A tree service expert will look for splits and cracks to determine how severe the damage is. However, it’s not just hanging or damaged limbs that pose a fall risk. Limbs in your tree may be dead without you even realizing it and these can eventually fall as well.

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What You Can Do

As a responsible homeowner, we commend you for being proactive about the safety of the trees on your property. While this article is by no means meant to be a replacement for having your trees inspected by a professional tree inspector, it is our hope that providing some of the common tree hazards, you might recognize how to tell if a tree is dangerous.

If you would like to have potential tree hazards on your North Georiga or surrounding Tennesse area property assessed, contact us for a free consultation. You can also reach us at 706-428-1032 24/7 for a free emergency consultation. We will go above and beyond to meet your needs.