While preventing all storm damage is impossible, regular tree maintenance goes a long way toward reducing the risk. It can include thinning, cabling, bracing, and even removal. Other preventative measures include securing lawn furniture and decorations, which can become projectiles during severe weather. It’s also wise to bring a professional to check for hazardous trees before the weather turns bad.
Preventative Pruning
Many storm-related problems stem from structural weaknesses in trees. Severely leaning trees, unbalanced branches, and excessively dense canopies increase the risk of damage during severe weather. Winds can snap or tear branches off and even uproot entire trees when they reach high velocities. The best way to reduce these risks is by performing preventative pruning on your property.
Preventative pruning includes:
- Cleaning (removing dead, diseased, weakly attached, or low-vigor limbs).
- Raising and reducing the height and spread of a tree.
- Removing water sprouts and suckers to promote healthy growth.
Structural pruning by professionals at Tree Work Now can also be done on mature trees to correct poor structures and reduce the risk of failure in severe weather. The most important time to prune a tree is before the arrival of stormy weather. It is always better to be proactive about your landscape than reactive when protecting your property from costly damages.
Cabling & Bracing
Tree cabling involves connecting a specialized cable between limbs or the trunk of a tree. This is an excellent option for trees that have developed a severe lean or if storms, soil erosion, or other factors have damaged them. Cabling helps stabilize the limbs and supports the tree’s overall structure, allowing it to resist high wind stress. Bracing is similar to cabling but utilizes solid steel rods to prevent the occurrence of splits in weak branches or trunks. Both cabling and bracing are effective hazard mitigation measures that can significantly reduce the risk of failure. However, these systems cannot ensure that a hazardous tree remains safe. They must be inspected regularly and, if necessary, repaired or replaced. A professional arborist can assess a tree’s needs and determine if these systems are appropriate.
Removal
If a tree is so damaged that it poses a severe threat to structures, cars, or people, it must be removed. Depending on location, a tree service can safely remove large limbs or the entire tree. It may use a bucket truck to reach higher limbs that would otherwise be too dangerous to climb or a crane to lower the larger branches to the ground after they have been cut. If you plan to hire a tree service, look for one accredited by the Better Business Bureau with workers’ compensation and liability insurance. Then, call them before the storm hits to ensure they are available. Also, clear your property of items that could become projectiles during a severe storm, such as lawn furniture, tools, garbage cans, and flower pots. This will keep both the workers and your possessions safe. Also, ensure there is an easy way for the workers to get back and forth from their trucks to your house.
Post-Storm Cleanup
After a storm hits, cleaning up your property and handling any noticeable damage is essential. But there’s also a lot to look for that could be more obvious. Unsafe trees can pose a significant threat to your home or anyone who passes by. Regularly scheduled trimming by an experienced arborist can help ensure that problem limbs don’t fall during a storm and cause damage. Before a storm, identify any loose items around your property that could become projectiles in high winds, such as lawn furniture, tool bags, garbage cans, children’s toys, and flower pots. Secure them to the ground or bring them inside. Finally, trim back bushes and shrubs too close to the house. This can also reduce wind damage and prevent limbs from falling during a storm. Taking precautions in the weeks leading up to a severe storm can minimize damage and make cleanup easier. It can also save you money in costly emergency repairs later.
