With all the storms we’ve been getting this summer, it’s no surprise that many Salt Lake City homeowners are discovering they have a damaged tree. If you find a damaged tree on your property, it’s essential not to ignore the problem or put off having it trimmed or removed. Why? Left ignored, a damaged tree can be especially hazardous to nearby property and people below. That’s why Mountain West Arbor Care would like to provide you with the following information when it comes to dealing with storm-damaged trees.
Spotting Damaged Trees After a Storm
After extreme weather, most property damage is due to broken or fallen trees. Of course, different degrees of damage can occur. To simplify the assessment process, let’s take a look at the following storm damage categories: mild, moderate, and severe.
Mild Storm Damage
Mild storm damage to a tree is the loss of a few limbs. However, it’s important to note that none of the limbs are very big and don’t pose any major concerns. While there may be some broken branches or torn bark, mild storm damage means a tree is overall structurally sound.
Moderate Storm Damage
Moderate storm damage is the loss of large branches that makes a tree unstable. This includes any broken and hanging limbs that can become a hazardous risk. Even if you can’t spot any major damage, but something doesn’t look quite right, it’s important to contact a certified arborist to ensure a tree’s structural integrity.
Severe Storm Damage
Severe storm damage categorizes trees that have been uprooted, leaning, or fallen over. This presents extreme safety hazards to your home and loved ones. A huge limb that has crashed through your roof or window is also considered severe damage.
Assessing Storm Damaged Trees
Assessing storm-damaged trees comes down to how severe the damage is. Wind, rain, lightning, and snow can all cause damage in different ways. Signs to look out for include:
- Cracks in the trunk or limbs
- Exposed roots
- Broken, fallen, or hanging limbs
- A sudden lean
In a best-case scenario, repairing a storm-damaged tree is as simple as removing a damaged limb. This would include pruning any small, broken branches. However, proper pruning is required to prevent disease and pests from invading any open wounds and help a tree heal faster.
Unfortunately, when a large limb breaks away from a tree that isn’t conducive to healing, additional services may be required. When it comes to moderate to severe damage like this, it’s important to have a certified arborist assess the situation to determine the best course of action. Sometimes, a tree removal service may be required to prevent a hazardous situation from happening. Removal is also necessary if a tree has already fallen.
Repairing Storm Damage
At Mountain West Arbor Care, we would never recommend anything that would put our customers at risk. Furthermore, it’s just not worth the attempt to prune or remove a storm-damaged tree on your own. While it’s probably safe to handle a small, newly planted tree yourself, any other situation that involves a larger tree should be left to a professional.
The certified arborist at Mountain West Arbor Care will properly assess and repair your tree safely based on a wealth of expert knowledge and experience dealing with storm damage.
Mountain West Arbor Care
Every year, extreme weather causes millions of dollars in property damage due to trees. They also create situations that can put you and your family in damage. That’s why it’s important to contact the certified arborist at Mountain West Arbor Care if the trees on your property suffer any sort of damage after a storm.
Whether you need help pruning or removing a damaged tree or just want to have the trees on your property assessed for potential problems, it’s important to choose a Salt Lake City tree care professional you can trust. With us, you’ll get the peace of mind knowing you’ve hired a ISA certified professional with years of training and experience to get the job done safely.
If you’d like to have your storm-damaged trees assessed, contact us today by filling out our online form or give us a call at 1.800.767.8733 for a no-cost, no-obligation quote. We will take the time to walk your property and provide you with a professional assessment for any of our tree care services.
