Recognizing When a Tree is at Risk of Falling and Causing Injury or Damage

Signs That Tree Removal is Needed to Avoid Potential Injury, Property Damage

While the need for tree care or tree removal services can arise throughout the year, the winter weather conditions seen in Uxbridge, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Newmarket and their surrounding areas can often intensify the urgency for such actions.  Severe winds, heavy snowfalls, sleet, and/or freezing rain can cause widespread damage to trees; this in turn can cause large branches or entire trees to fall, resulting in property damage and posing threats to the health and safety of local homeowners and their families.

The unpredictability of winter storms and their intensity is fact of life for the residents of communities in and around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).  Though meteorologists will provide advance warnings of imminent storm activity, such information tends to focus on personal protection against the elements as well as travel precautions; there is little that any property owners can do in that short pre-storm period to protect their trees from the conditions about to pass through the region.

This is why homeowners and business owners should take pre-emptive actions to assess whether their trees are at risk of falling during a storm, especially if there are indications of a rotted or damaged tree.  This can be done through visual inspection by the property owner or a professional assessment by the tree care qualified experts from DreamWorks Tree Services; subsequently, if there is sufficient risk that a tree might not withstand the rigours of a storm, the team at DreamWorks Tree Services can provide safe and effective tree removal services to avoid the likelihood of any personal injury and property damage in the future.

For those homeowners and commercial property owners in the communities of Uxbridge, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Newmarket, and neighbouring areas who are asking themselves the question “is my tree going to fall?”, DreamWorks Tree Services offers the following list of signs to help in recognizing when a tree may be at a higher risk:

• It has large/thick dead branches
• There are hanging broken branches
• Branch junctions have cracks or splits
• Rotted wood is evident in the tree trunk
• The trunk has a noticeable lean to one side
• Tree has been indiscriminately pruned/topped
• Roots are damaged/exposed due to construction
• Some nearby trees have recently undergone removal
• The leaves prematurely turn/develop an unusual colour
• There are mushrooms growing around the base of the tree

Should property owners within or near the GTA have any trees that are exhibiting one or more of the above risk factors, it would be highly advisable that they contact the experts from DreamWorks Tree Services to remedy the situation as soon as possible, as a means of protecting themselves, their neighbours, and any adjacent buildings/property from the potential adverse effects of future storm conditions.

Tree Removal is One of Several Tree Services Options to Prevent Storm Damage

As noted above, tree removal may be the best course of action when there is a high risk of personal injury or property damage during or after storms; this is perhaps only option when dealing with a rotted, diseased, or dying tree.  In some situations, however, there are alternatives that could be pursued which can help to strengthen and ultimately save the tree.

The most appropriate remedy would be identified through a comprehensive assessment by a tree care professional such as a qualified arborist from DreamWorks Tree Services; this assessment would verify whether the tree and stump should be completely removed or if some type of corrective measure would be appropriate to help preserve its health.

Following their evaluation, the arborist from DreamWorks Tree Services can recommend and expertly implement one or more of the following services, on a somewhat immediate or urgent basis, as needed:

• Cabling and Bracing – to strengthen/protect the tree against further damage
• Tree Straightening – to realign and support leaning or partially uprooted trees
• Spur-Free Tree Pruning – restricted to dead,damaged, or diseased limbs only
  • To maintain and sustain tree health
  • To restore curb appeal and shape to the tree
  • To promote healing and growth in the spring/summer

Go to tree removal to learn more about tree removal and other tree care services offered by the qualified specialists at DreamWorks Tree Services to property owners in and around the GTA including Uxbridge, Newmarket, and Whitchurch-Stouffville.

If you suspect or have evidence that a tree or trees on your property may be at high risk of falling during or after a storm, call the tree removal and tree care professionals from DreamWorks Tree Services today at 647-793-8903 or contact us to arrange for a free assessment and recommendation on the most appropriate course of action.