When a tree fails, its structure deteriorates or breaks in one or more sections. That is when you need to call in the Emergency Tree Service in Palo Alto.

Signs of a tree’s failure to thrive

• Mushrooms growing around the roots
• Fungus growing on the truck
• Evidence that the roots have become lifted off of the ground in places
• Spots where the bark has begun to shed
• Areas of sawdust, which has been created by wood-boring insects
• An observation of cavities in any part of tree
• An animal nesting inside one of the tree’s cavities
• When a young tree’s structure has featured a decided lean

Why a homeowner should make a point of searching for any signs of a tree’s failure to thrive

No homeowner wants to be held liable for the injury to someone that has been granted permission to walk on the land around the home. If that land were to contain a tree that was in poor health, then its condition might cause it to topple over. If it were to hurt someone by falling, then that accident could result in a lawsuit.

By the same token, a homeowner’s nightmare might include scenes of a tree falling on a valuable piece of property. It could be the homeowner’s property or a neighbor. In either case, as part of an effort to prevent realization of that frightful nightmare, smart homeowners should check for any sign that a tree is struggling to survive.

Even if no trees had fallen on valuable property, any one of them might one-day fall onto power lines. Damage to power lines could affect a family’s ability to enjoy all the appliances and entertainment devices within the home. That accident could also create a safety hazard, one that might worry someone with small children.

Suppose that no falling trees had managed to hit any property or any power lines; that would not eliminate the chances for one other unwanted occurrence. A toppled trunk and branches might block a driveway or a roadway. No family would want to be trapped by a formerly living plant that had failed to thrive, but had gone unnoticed by a careless or lazy homeowner.

If a house were put up for sale, then no potential buyer should be provided with the opportunity to challenge the asking price, simply because he or she has found evidence of a tree’s failure to thrive. Smart homeowners ought to make a point of finding and removing any such evidence.

The final reason on this list relates to a recurring threat in California. That is the threat of wildfires. A tree that has shown signs of failing should be viewed as a fire risk. In order to remove that risk, it ought to be identified and removed.