by Evan Keller
Hurricane Season has officially begun, but with the springtime storms we’ve been having this year you’re most likely already thinking about your trees. How do you know if they’re storm ready? While a professional evaluation is highly recommended, we’re offering a few clues to get you started.
Ask these 5 pre-storm tree assessment questions:
- Do I have the 4D's: dead, diseased, decayed and damaged branches or trees?
- Do I have branches or trees rubbing against each other?
- Do I have branches that need to be pruned away from my roof and utility lines?
- Do I have entire trees which are too close to (or leaning towards) my home or business?
- Do I have tree canopies that are too dense for high winds to safely pass through? (Thinning out such crowns will improve airflow—like making holes in a sail—so that wind is less likely to topple trees.)
So how did they do? Did your trees pass the initial assessment?
Would you like a professional evaluation to be certain?
During our free pre-storm inspection, one of our Certified Arborists can give you recommendations on any visible hazards as well as inspect and correct more technical issues. They’ll look for damaged roots, lopsided crowns, weak joints, improperly spaced lateral branches, poor branch angles, co-dominant stems, imbalanced branch-trunk size ratios, included bark, signs of interior rot, insect or fungal infestations, species with low wind-resistance, or improper prior trimming (such as topping or lion-tailing). The arborist may recommend branch reductions to reduce weight and encourage healthy growth.
Unlike a quick trip to fill up your gas cans, this aspect of hurricane readiness takes time. So remember to start early—weeks or months early. If you wait until a big storm is heading our way, you may find yourself queued with hundreds of others! Request your free pre-storm inspection today from the top-rated tree service in Central Florida. Call 407-416-2704 or submit your request for an appointment.
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