Having lots of big lush trees in your yard is what everyone dreams of. When they aren’t healthy, however, they can become a real danger.

When you start to understand how trees live and operate, you realize that they can withstand a lot of harm. That being said, when a fungus, bug infestation, or storm damages a tree, your property could be at risk. 

The more a tree is weakened, the greater chance of it falling on your car, shed, home or god forbid, a person. In this post, we’re going to tell you the signs of a dangerous tree so that you can call a tree removal company to help you deal with it.

Damaged Limbs

One of the best ways to tell if a tree is damaged is by looking at the limbs. If you can see dead or hanging branches, especially big ones, coming off of the tree, that tells you that it’s probably in trouble.

This makes it a dangerous tree for a couple of reasons. First, the dead branch, precariously hanging on live branches, could easily fall out with a slight gust. The other thing is that dying limbs are a telltale sign of a dying tree, so if branches are leafless and cracking off, you’ve got a bigger problem coming.

Bark Damage

The trunk is the foundation that the crown of the tree rests upon. If it’s in poor health, it’s a pretty convincing sign that the rest of the tree will follow. There are a few easy ways to diagnose problems in the bark:

• Cracking/splitting in the bark.
• Holes and decay.
• Missing bark.
• Discolored bark.

All of these things could be a sign of infestation, but an inspector will be able to tell if it’s a serious problem or not.

Looking Up

As discussed earlier, looking at damaged limbs and branches is a serious sign of decay. Another thing to look at in the crown of the tree is limbs without leaves/needles. This deadwood is the precursor to the broken, hanging limbs that are so dangerous.

The best thing to do is monitor the leaves on your trees. When you start to notice discoloration and death, you should have those limbs dealt with to avoid having them break off and potentially damage something or hurt someone.

Looking Down

Although you can’t see half of the tree because the roots are underground, they’re the most important part of the tree. If roots are damaged because of construction, you’ll start to see stunted growth, undersized leaves, and wilting.

This happens because damaged roots aren’t able to draw moisture up from the ground and distribute it to the rest of the tree. Unfortunately, once this process starts, it’s near-impossible to reverse and your tree will die a slow death.

Get Your Dangerous Tree Dealt With

If you’ve got a dangerous tree on your property, it should be evaluated and dealt with promptly before it damages something. At P’n’D Logging and Tree Services, we’ve been serving greater Puget Sound since 1977. We offer services for all of your tree needs, so visit our site to learn more and contact us to talk about your dangerous tree.