If you’re a resident of the St Louis, MO area, you realize just how quickly a storm can move in and out, bringing with it heavy rain, lightning, tremendous winds, or during winter months, even a ton of snow. It doesn’t take long for properties to be faced with damage, and often, this damage involves the large trees which usually protect our homes from the elements.
(Remember this recent storm that left thousands in St Louis without power?)
Whether it be a fallen branch onto a vehicle or a tree that you’re worried will hit the electrical lines, maintaining trees that are hazard-free should be a regular part of your landscaping. This is especially important during the times of year where storms should be expected, such as winter, or summer.
Take the time to inspect your trees both before and after these severe storms to preserve a safe and beautiful property, and decrease your chances of being struck with property damage, or the possibility of injuries. A bit of simple maintenance and extra care can go a long way to preserving your trees, and ensuring that they will benefit your property and your lifestyle for years to come.
When a storm is on the way, or after you’ve experienced harsh weather, get outside once it’s safe to perform the following simple inspections to check for storm damage on your trees:
Search for Broken Branches
Although a simple broken branch is often overlooked, these hazards can be dangerous for your property, the people near it, and the tree itself. When a tree continues to exist with broken branches attached, it is left vulnerable to multiple health problems.
After a storm, check all of your trees for cracked, split, or broken branches. If you see any large, heavily damaged, or hard-to-reach branches, call your local emergency tree service to discuss branch removal, and having the trees trimmed to ensure that the next storm won’t cause as much damage.
Check for Leaning Trees
Even though a tree hasn’t fallen during a storm, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the tree is strong enough to hold its ground during the next one. Unfortunately, many people overlook trees that lean or sway a large amount during storms. Fallen trees can cause a significant amount of damage to your property, and lead to severe injury or death if it falls on an individual. (This might be a time to call us for tree removal)
If you see a leaning tree, either before or after a storm on your property, address the issue immediately. A professional arborist will come and determine whether complete tree removal will be necessary, or if it can be lightened up with an expertly performed pruning job. This includes trees that happen to be leaning against other trees or other structures.
Inspect Your Utility Wires
During your tree inspection post-storm, keep your eyes open for wires that are in contact with the tree branches. Storms equipped with high winds can cause these utility lines to become loose, or cause branches to break and come in contact with electrical lines. If you notice any loose wires or wires that are touching your trees, contact a professional tree trimmer for assistance in resolving the issue.
By performing these regular checks, you’re helping to increase the safety of your property, and the health of the trees themselves. In addition to these checks:
- Have your trees trimmed and pruned regularly to remove potentially weak or hazardous branches.
- Install lightning protection systems in your valuable trees to help in reducing the chance of lightning damage.
- Get a professional arborist to add cabling or bracing to structurally weak trees to prevent them from breaking or splitting during large storms.
Proper tree care will leave you with healthy, strong trees that are more likely to survive harsh weather and destructive storms. If you’re in the St. Louis, MO area, schedule an appointment with Jackson Tree Service. We’ve been helping home and property owners for over 50 years, so contact us today!