There are so many benefits that come along with having trees growing in your yard. Trees can improve your curb appeal, bring down your energy costs by preventing the sun from shining into your home, and even make your property more valuable.
But trees can also prove to be dangerous in some instances. There is a chance that they could fall over at any time as a result of a bad storm, a disease, or old age.
There are certain signs that’ll let you know that a tree is dangerous. You should stay alert and look out for any of these potential signs of trouble when it comes to the trees outside of your home.
Here are seven ways you’ll know a tree is dangerous to your property.
1. It’s Dropping Dead Branches All Over the Place
Does it feel like there are dead branches scattered around in your yard almost all the time? This is a sign that all is not well with a tree.
When a tree begins to die, it’ll often start to shed some of its branches so that there isn’t as much for it to feed. Unfortunately, this can put both your home and those who live in it at risk.
Dead branches can fall onto your home and do damage to your roof. They can also land on people if they happen to be standing in your yard.
For these reasons, you shouldn’t ignore dead tree branches. They could be a sign of worse things to come.
2. It Has a Lot of Missing Bark
Have you noticed that a tree in your yard is missing a lot of bark? There are some instances in which an animal might be to blame for stripping a section of bark from a tree.
But more often than not, missing bark is another sign that a tree is dangerous. The area on the tree that’s missing bark forms what is called a canker that can cause the tree to snap unexpectedly. In order to avoid an unexpected snap, the best would be to work with Riverside tree experts for tree removal and detect issues on time.
3. It Has Cracks and Holes in It
This should almost go without saying, but a tree that has a bunch of cracks in it is a tree that is dangerous. The cracks can get worse than they already are over time and put a tree in danger of falling right over.
You should also be wary of any holes that might show up in a tree. These holes indicate that there is some decaying going on beneath the surface of the tree’s trunk.
A hole in a tree isn’t always the worst thing in the world. If there is a lot of solid wood surrounding the hole, the tree might be just fine.
But you should have someone come and take a look at the tree. They could uncover bigger problems that are causing holes to appear in it.
4. It’s Leaning More Than It Used To
Some trees lean more than others naturally. They grow up that way, and you shouldn’t have to worry too much about them tipping over because of how they’re leaning.
But you should worry if a tree that was previously standing upright is all of a sudden leaning more than 15 degrees. You’ll know when to cut down a tree when you see this happening.
Strong winds and damage to a tree’s roots can both cause a tree to lean more than usual. You’ll want to have it removed from your yard as soon as you can if you see it leaning.
5. It Has Fungi Growing Around and Even on It
Did you just realize that there are a bunch of mushrooms growing around the base of a tree in your yard? Those mushrooms could show that you have roots that are rotting underneath the ground.
Or did you just see that there are fungi growing on your tree’s trunk? This could also reveal that there is some rotting going on in the trunk or in the roots.
Either way, you’ll want to have your tree inspected. Any form of fungi near your tree could demonstrate that it’s not in the best health.
6. It’s Losing Its Leaves From the Outside In
When a tree loses its leaves in the autumn, it tends to lose the ones closest to its trunk first before the leaves on the outside of the tree fall off. So you should be concerned if you see the leaves fall off in the opposite order.
When trees start losing leaves from the outside in, it means that there is an issue with the tree’s root zone. This can weaken the tree over the years and eventually cause it to come crashing down.
7. It Looks Like It Could Fall Apart at Any Second
When a tree is well past its prime and on the verge of toppling to the ground at any second, it won’t be difficult to tell. The naked eye will tell you that it’s dead.
If a tree is at the point where even you know that it has died, that is a clear-cut solution that you should spring into action and do something about it. Otherwise, you could have a big mess to clean up later, and you could also have a homeowners insurance claim that you’ll need to file depending on how the tree falls.
If a Tree Is Dangerous, It’s Important to Take It Down Immediately
Taking down a tree might not be at the top of your to-do list right now. But if a tree is dangerous, the last thing you want to do is pretend like the problem doesn’t exist.
A dangerous tree can cause damage to cars and homes and injure or even kill people and pets. It can also bring your property’s value way down if you let it linger and overstay its welcome.
Chopping down a tree is one way to make your home safer. Read our blog if you would like to learn about some other easy ways to do it.