How do I know if my tree is unhealthy?

If one of your trees is dead or diseased and you don’t take action to prevent damage, you may be held responsible or legally liable for damage or injury. In addition, knowing the signs of unhealthy and dangerous trees can save you money on your property and home insurance. Let us use our 25 years of experience to evaluate the trees on your property.

 

5 Signs your tree is unhealthy

1. Branches ‘hanging out’ on power lines.
   Branches that fall onto the power lines and can leave your neighbourhood in the dark.
2. Mushrooms growing around or emerging from the base of your tree
   Mushrooms can be an indicator Heart Rot which decays the inside of the tree. Depending on the severity and type of decay, your tree may no longer be structurally sound.
3. Large tree cavities
   Cavities can naturally naturally occur from weathering, or can be created by human or animal interaction with the environment. Either way, if a cavity is too large or too near the base of the tree or root system, the tree might be in danger of toppling over.
4. Heavy or recent lean in one direction
   Does your tree look like it is angling toward the earth instead of growing straight up and down? Chances are it could mean that’s the direction it would like to fall down, possibly causing damage to other property or cars.
5. ‘Hangers’ or broken branches
   The whole tree does not have to come down for there to be serious property damage. Branches and limbs can be pretty heavy on their own. If there are dead or broken branches in the canopy it can be risky to leave them. If there are Hangers (hung up or hanging branches) in your tree it is time to take action.