Emergency Tree Removal
Emergency tree removal is not what most homeowners think about until something terrible has already happened, like a branch snapping and dropping on your car or a tree splitting in half across your yard. You must remove the tree quickly to prevent further damage to your property.
Who Do You Call for Tree Removal?
Never attempt emergency tree removal on your own. If you haven’t been trained in arboriculture, you could end up falling from a great height or straining your back, trying to remove sections of the tree. On top of that, the process is time-consuming, and you won’t have anywhere to take the refuse.
A tree specialist or certified arborist is a professional trained in all the pruning cuts, felling techniques, and safety procedures necessary to securely remove a tree from your property without hurting anyone or damaging the surrounding area. By trusting them, you ensure a swift and safe removal.
Situations That Call for Emergency Tree Removal
A Storm Hit
Even the toughest trees will bow and break in extreme storm conditions. The damage they sustain will depend on the type of storm.
Wind
High winds from rainstorms, hurricanes, windstorms, or tornados are the most common cause of tree storm damage. “Windthrow” happens when a tree’s canopy catches too much air, uprooting it from the soil.
Another common tree injury is “crown twist.” An uneven canopy of branches and leaves will cause the tree to twist in the wind, potentially damaging the trunk beyond repair.
A weaker tree may also undergo “stem failure,” or snapping of the trunk. Without this support, a tree will fall or die.
Water
Excess water from downpours and flooding can loosen sediment around the tree. This reveals the root system, especially in species with shallow roots, weakening the tree’s anchor and causing it to topple.
Snow and Ice
Heavy snowfall and ice buildup can overburden a tree’s boughs and cause the branches to break or the tree to split or collapse under the weight. Coniferous evergreens tend to stand up well against these conditions, whereas broadleaf evergreens hold more snow, increasing the risk of damage.
Lightning
Trees don’t fare much better against lightning than individuals do. A lightning strike will boil the water within a tree’s cells, peeling a long strip of bark off the tree or burning the wood and roots. In some cases, lightning can slice entire branches off the tree or cause an explosion.
Your Tree Looks Sick
Sometimes a tree’s health problem comes from within. Fungi, viruses, and pests can enter a tree’s wounds and slowly kill it from the inside. At a certain point, your tree will no longer be salvageable, making emergency tree removal the quickest and safest solution.
Signs of tree disease include:
- Burnt, yellowed, wilted or spotted leaves
- Dusty white mildew
- Gall (lumpy or spherical growths)
- Clusters of new shoots
- Cankers (hollow pits)
- Holes in bark or leaves
Branches Are Broken
Most broken branches can be eliminated with strategic pruning cuts without harming the tree, but there are certain circumstances where missing branches can cause imminent tree death.
For example, if a tree has lost more than half its branches, it won’t produce enough leaves to feed itself during the next growing season. Another problem is if a tree loses its leader – the most extended, tallest branch – since this gives a tree its stability, strength, and form.
Your Tree Is Leaning
A leaning tree may or may not be a cause for concern, depending on the tree’s history. If your tree is suddenly leaning, developing at a severe angle, or showing other signs of damage likes cracks or uprooting, it could fall. However, it’s also possible for a tree to lean slowly over time to adjust itself away from your house or toward the sunlight.
A certified arborist will tell you whether your tree’s lean points to structural damage and recommend either correction or emergency removal.
Do You Need Emergency Tree Removal?
If your tree has snapped or fallen, you likely need emergency tree removal. Our team at Affordable Tree Services is fully certified and insured to remove dangerous trees from your property any time, day or night. Contact us via mail or call us; our phone lines are open 24/7 to take your call: (305) 823-2345 in Miami-Dade or 954-436-9111 in Broward.
