Make Your Home Safe from Tall Trees

"I have a stand of Douglas Firs in my backyard," our client said. "I'm afraid some limbs, or even whole trees, will fall on our house this winter. Can you help?"

The Seattle area is blessed with beautiful, tall trees, isn't it? Stands of Douglas Firs, Cypresses, Redwoods, Spruces, and Cedars dot our landscape, reminding us why this is the Evergreen State. But what do you do when that lovely stand of trees is perched above your home and property? Here's some of what we do (this list is not exhaustive):

1. Assess the trees' health.
   The first step is to look at each tree and see just how healthy—or unhealthy—it is. Some of the questions we ask ourselves are:
   Are there signs of decay, such as loose bark, insect frass, or a sap stream flowing down the bark?
2. Assess the state of the limbs.
   Is there a lot of deadwood? Limbs die naturally but don't always fall right away. Often they hang on for quite awhile, just waiting for a strong wind to blow them to the ground.
   
   Are there broken limbs hanging onto other limbs? Broken branches can get caught by other branches, hanging there until they decide to come crashing down.
3. Assess the degree and direction of lean.
   What is the lean of the tree? Does it lean toward or away from structures? If it does fail, what will it hit?
4. Assess the ground around the tree.
   Has the ground been disturbed in the recent past? Construction and landscaping can cause destruction of a tree's root system and/or add material on top of the ground. This is dangerous because most of a tree's nutrients come from arteries near the surface of the ground. The surface roots also anchor the tree. Disturb them, and the tree might fall.

Once the trees have been properly assessed, we can help the homeowner make the best decision to create a safe environment. This might involve pruning, windsailing, or removing a tree. It makes sense to be proactive and address the issue BEFORE our next storm.

If you live in the Seattle area, call Martin Macauley, ISA Certified Arborist, for a free assessment: (206) 714-9835.