As hurricane season continues, the State of Texas is working to rebuild following Hurricane Harvey. Now more than ever, it’s important to understand the proper steps for caring for your trees after a storm. Keeping yourself, your family, and your home safe from harm during a storm is paramount. Unfortunately, the trees on your property can be a major safety hazard. Trees can be severely damaged and even killed during a storm, depending on a number of factors. Rain, lightning, and heavy wind can all be huge risk factors for tree damage.
Caring for Your Trees After a Storm: Preventative Maintenance
Having the trees on your property assessed by a certified arborist in advance of bad weather is the most effective way of preventing unnecessary damage. It’s possible to both save the tree and protect your property by having an inspection performed.
Preventative pruning can be especially effective at mitigating potential damage to and from a tree. Unsafe (rotting, imbalanced, and too heavy) limbs can be identified and then removed prior to storms. At-risk limbs are the main source of danger from a tree, and any tree specialist can easily identify and remove them.
Pruning of the canopy helps to reduce the overall wind resistance of the tree, significantly reducing the wind’s negative effects and increasing the safety of the tree. Canopy damage is one of the most common types of damage to a tree during heavy winds.
How to Inspect Your Trees Following a Storm
One of the important important aspects of caring for your trees after a storm is initial inspection. A common mistake that people make is to assume that if a tree didn’t fall during the storm, then it will continue to hold its ground. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and a tree that falls can cause significant damage to your property and can lead to severe injury or death if it were to fall on a person. For these reasons, trees that are leaning need to be addressed right away. Walk your property. If any of the trees are anything but fully upright after a storm, then you should seek an expert opinion. They can determine if tree removal will be necessary. This recommendation goes for trees that are leaning against structures or other trees. Additionally, trees that have already fallen should not be ignored.
As you check each tree for damage, you should also keep an eye out for any wires that are in contact with their branches. High winds can loosen utility lines or break branches, allowing trees and wires to come in contact with one another. If you see any wires that are touching your trees, then you should schedule tree trimming for your property.
Finally, inspect your trees for broken branches. Often underestimated, broken tree branches can be a hazard to people and property. To put stress a tree and leave it vulnerable can lead to additional health problems. Check each of your trees for broken, cracked, or split branches after severe weather. If you spot any large or hard-to-reach branches that are damaged, then call an emergency tree service as soon as possible about having your damaged trees trimmed.
Ask for help
Remember, nearly all potential threats from a tree are predictable. We can’t stress the importance of properly caring for your trees after a storm. Tree specialists can determine your tree’s overall health and its risks for catastrophic failure. Only a certified arborist can help you make your tree as safe as possible for the coming stormy months. Your local tree care professional has the knowledge and tools to help you restore your beautiful property and protect the landscape for the next storm. If you’re looking for a reliable tree care service in the San Antonio area, contact Boerne Tree Service Pros or New Braunfels Tree Service Pros.
Don’t forget to check out Tree Trimming and Pruning in South Texas for additional tips.