The unexpected fall of a tree or heavy limb can have disastrous consequences, especially when it happens to land on a car, house, power line, or even a person. Predicting the fall of a tree is a complex matter, not an exact science. However, there still are a few known early warning signs which you can memorize and use during your inspections of the trees under your ownership.
Responsibilities
If you are the owner of a property with trees, you are, in most states, going to be held responsible if your tree, or one of its limbs, falls in the area of a target (something of value, like a building, person, or vehicle) and harms or kills them. You need to ask the Arborist in Palo Alto about the ways of dealing with such hazards.
The best way of dealing with a large tree near targets is to take preventative measures. This means keeping an eye on the tree’s health, and potential past health problems, as well as its vigor which can be determined by the leaf size and cover, its color and the general condition of your tree. Scheduling regular checkups at the beginning of each season should also become part of your yearly routine. If, during or outside of these checkups, you start noticing that your tree has lost color or has a thinner canopy compared to its previous state, or even compared to other trees of its kind and size, you may have a problem on your hands.
Signs of Imminent Tree Or Limb Failure
Dead branches, also called widow-makers, always need to be taken care of right away. All it takes is a gust of wind or the tug of a child to make those dead branches cave and potentially cause damage or death to property and innocent pedestrians. Another thing to note is that, if you notice a multitude of dead branches on your tree, you may be looking at a bigger problem like the dying of the entire tree.
Rubbing and crossed branches can lead to weak spots in the area where they are touching. To avoid the snap and fall of these limbs, you will need to prune them as soon as possible. It is best to call in the professionals to do it so that it is done correctly.
Deep fissures and missing bark indicate a weakness in that area. If the tree breaks, it will be there. Side note: when talking to arborists or throughout research, you may find missing, torn, or indented bark be referred to as cankers.It is best to get the evaluation done properly when you come across the issues the trees are facing.