The trees around your home offer energy-saving shade and improve the air quality. Like all living things, trees fall victim to ailments and the effects of aging. Without the right tree care, those aging trees could pose a hazard to your home.
You might ask, “Do I need tree care service? Caring for my trees doesn’t seem hard.”
Trimming trees without the right tools and skills can cause a fatal accident. Even professionals fall victim to fallen branches and accidental electrocution.
How can you care for your trees the right way? Use this guide to inspect the trees on your property. If you spot signs of trouble, contact a tree company in the Charlotte area.
1. Fungal Growth on Your Trees
Fungus spores carried in the air or pests can kill your trees. If the fungal disease isn’t caught in time, you’ll have to replace the whole tree.
In North Carolina, watch our for these tree diseases:
- Leaf blister
- Pitch canker
- Annosus root rot
- Laurel wilt
- Brown spot
- Fusiform rust
Fungal diseases might look like a discolored growth on the tree or scabby bark. Variations of root rot will create a spongy area at the tree’s base.
2. The Previous Homeowner Neglected the Trees
As trees age, sometimes their branches suffer trauma and die off. If the dead and dying branches aren’t cleared, they may fall and hurt someone. A severe storm could drop dead branches through your roof.
After moving into your new home, take a day to inspect every tree near the house. Dead branches have no live leaves and you might see hollow areas.
It’s easier to spot dead branches in the springtime. Use binoculars to look for branches with no new bud or leaf sites. Snap a picture and circle the dead branches to help the tree company later on.
3. Invasive Tree Roots can Clog Water and Sewer Lines
The constant water and nutrient supply from sewer lines draw in hungry tree roots. Smaller lateral roots seek out the richest feast to support the tree.
The three stages to tree roots in the sewer line:
- Roots enter the pipe joints and feed on nutrients
- As roots grow, they hold onto large debris floating down the pipe
- Well-fed tree roots clog the sewer line and flood your basement
If you reach the final stage, first you need to call a plumber. After they repair the pipe damage, a tree company should remove the problematic trees.
4. You Notice More Insects Around the Tree than Usual
Bugs outnumber humans 200 million to one, so some will always live on your trees. The problem is, certain invasive species kill trees from the inside out. When paired with a drought, a bark beetle invasion can destroy a forest in a decade.
Harmful bugs found in North Carolina:
- Locust borer
- Flatheaded appletree borer
- Cypress weevil
- Black twig borer
- Southern pine beetle
- Native elm bark beetle
“How do I care for my trees if bugs are everywhere?” Call in a local tree service to identify your pest problem. They’ll walk you through the safest way to prevent insects from killing your trees.
5. The Tree Trunk Sounds Hollow
Hollow trees themselves aren’t much of a problem. Hearty types of trees may live for decades with just the bark and a few interior layers.
The problem with hollow trees comes in when they’re too close to your home. The hollowing process signals that the tree may reach its end soon. That leaves them vulnerable to attack from infestations, fungus, and storms.
Any hollow tree near your home could fall during a severe storm. It takes wind speeds of around 60 MPH to topple a healthy tree. Hollow trees won’t withstand winds from a hurricane or tropical storm.
6. Tree Branches Grew Too Close to Electrical Sources
Every year firefighters fight flames that started with a tree hitting a power line. The two don’t need to touch to potentially harm someone. Seek immediate help for any trees with branches within a few feet of a power line.
Electricity from a power surge during a lightning storm can arc from the powerline to the tree. Anyone touching the tree or the ground nearby may receive an electric shock.
A tree branch too close to your HVAC poses another set of electrical hazards. If a storm hits, a falling branch may crush part of the HVAC unit. Storm-displaced debris from the tree branch may get pulled into the HVAC.
When you plan your tree care service, ask them to clear the branches around the HVAC. Don’t forget to remove any branches over your pool filer system, as well.
7. Exposed Tree Roots
Damage to the tree’s root system weakens the whole tree. It’s not hard to injure the shallow tree roots during regular yard maintenance. A graze from your lawnmower could leave a wound for a fungal infection to set in.
Pay attention to the angle of the trees once you spot any exposed roots. A few exposed roots for some tree species are expected. But if the tree leans after a few weeks, that means the roots aren’t healthy.
If the leaning tree may damage something when it falls, call a tree company. Professional tree removal uses a multi-step process to prevent damaging your home.
Removing a hazardous tree isn’t a DIY weekend project. It takes years of training and specialized equipment to safely remove a tree.
Do You Need to Find a Tree Care Service in Charlotte?
The right tree care service will save you tons of money on household repairs. One severe storm could send a dead tree limb crashing through your roof. When you compare the cost of tree care to a new roof, the choice is easy.
If you live in the Charlotte area, contact Integrity Tree Care. Our highly-trained team is ready to tackle any problem trees on your property. We offer services ranging from simple pruning to whole tree removal.
Integrity Tree Care also offers emergency services 24 hours a day. Contact us by phone and we’ll send a tree care crew as soon as possible.
