Top Red Flags of When to Cut Down Your Tree

We all love the fresh and pure air of a healthy and green tree. You can even climb a tree or enjoy its delightful and fresh shade. But sometimes trees can get ill, die, or simply become a big safety risk for your loved ones and even your neighbors. So, today, we wrote this article to explain the top situations when to cut down your tree.

For most homeowners, their trees are precious because they represent special memories from the past. Some people also enjoy climbing trees for fun. However, when the time comes to remove a tree, there’s nothing that we can do. Before we move on to the main topic, we want to clarify something:

Cutting a Tree Is a Risky Do-It-Yourself Project

Maybe you want to cut down your tree because you want to save money or you want to take advantage of your free time to do something manly.

However, cutting a big tree on your own is perhaps a project that is just out of your league.

The average homeowner doesn’t have the tools, skills, and experience to cut big trees safely and efficiently.

By committing to this challenging project, homeowners can put their lives at risk. Not only that but also the lives of their loved ones and the safety of their homes will be endangered as well!

So, we advise you to leave this job to certified arborists. They know the right way on how to get rid of cut down trees. Also, they count on the ideal equipment, tools, and experience to deliver safe and prompt tree removal services.

We are now going back to the main topic. Today, we’ll tell you when to cut down your tree.

Top Situations When to Cut Down Your Tree Is a Must

Your Tree Is Dying or Already Dead 

We all have fond memories of trees in our landscapes. That’s why we all hate to see a tree die. There is only one thing to do when your tree dies: TAKE IT DOWN!

Once your tree dies, it becomes an eyesore, destroying your landscape appeal. Not only that, but a dead tree loses strength every day. In other words, a dead tree can turn into a time bomb.

How to Know If Your Tree Is Dying or Already Dead?

Good question! It might look obvious, but some signs can fly under the radar if you are not observative. Some deficiencies might be in the roots. And if you don’t know how to identify these problems, your home and family could be in significant danger.

So, let’s get to them.

Signs from the Tree Trunk:

1. Vertical and big cracks on the tree
2. Areas of dead bark or cankers
3. The tree trunk has no bark
4. When examining the inner layer of the bark, you notice it’s brown

Signs from the Tree’s Branches:

1. Your tree has lost all its leaves way before the fall season
2. A lot of brown and dead leaves during the growing season
3. You notice that the joints holding the branches of your tree are weak

Signs of Damaged Roots:

1. You suddenly see your tree starts to lean toward your home, pool, driveway or playing ground
2. Some roots are popping out due to leaning
3. Small branches are sprouting from the base of the tree

Fungus & Critters Tell that Your Tree Is Rotting:

1. Large fungus on a tree can indicate that the tree is rotting inside
2. Bark beetles, carpenter ants, or other insects are signs of a dying tree

Every day that after your tree dies, it becomes weaker. Every passing day, a dead tree loses its ability and strength to withstand storms, snow, ice, and wind. These weather elements can breach off big branches or bring down a dead tree.

And there is no question that the fall of a dead tree or even a branch can cause considerable damage to nearby houses, cars, or even people. Dead trees represent a substantial potential liability and should be removed as soon as possible.

Not only that, a dead tree is heaven for pests. So, you better get rid of a dead tree to prevent the infestation from spreading to other trees.

Do you think your tree is dead? If that is so, you should have experts check it out!

If your tree is dead, you have to get rid of it in the blink of an eye!

Cut Down Your Tree When It’s Uprooted

Is your tree uprooted? Then it is time to remove it! Sometimes a tree can uproot itself from the ground because of unstable soil, waterlogging, or harsh storms. As soon as this happens, it is better to remove that tree from your landscape.

Uprooted trees can cause a blockage in your street, damage your house, or interfere with electrical wires.

Basically, an uprooted tree can pose a major threat to you, your loved ones, or your neighbors. Thus, this is a sign that you should be aware of when to cut down your tree.

Uprooted trees suffer major damage in the roots and trunk. Sometimes, however, you can save the tree and replant it somewhere else. If your tree has not suffered a lot and can be preserved, then consider replanting it!

Signs of Stress Are Starting to Show Up

Some people believe that stressed trees can be saved. With the right maintenance, you can prevent your tree from becoming stressed. But, if the situation is too far along, then the best way to proceed is to remove it.

Thus, if you’re not sure of when to cut down your tree, you should do it when it is showing signs of stress.

Most homeowners do not know that trees can become stressed or which are the major reasons for causing stress on a tree. We recommend that you learn ways you can prevent this so that you don’t have to cut down a precious tree in the future.

Some of the most common causes of stressed trees include improper tree installation, improper mulching, improper watering, improper tree pruning, and injuries during remodeling or construction projects.

If you try to avoid any of these situations, then you can prevent your tree from becoming stressed! But, if it is beyond saving, then have an expert remove it as soon as possible so that nothing worse happens.

Your Tree Counts on Pests

It’s quite common for trees to be the home of all sorts of animals. However, there are times in which animals can become more of a threat than anything else to your trees. This is when we start to consider them as pests.

Not only can pests be harmful to your trees, but they can also bring danger to your home and your family as well! These can carry all sorts of allergens and bacteria that can be spread in all sorts of ways. 

Some of the most common pests that indicate that you need to cut down your trees include:

• Caterpillars
• Aphids
• Scorpions
• Snakes

You Rely on Limited Space

Many times, when planning on new construction or home addition, we tend to fall short on space. And many times, in order to count on that additional space you need, cutting down a tree is necessary. 

This isn’t the only case in which limited space may be an indicator of when a tree should be removed. Trees can suffer a lot when having near buildings and foundations. This is not to mention the numerous problems that might arise from this situation. 

For instance, your property can become a victim of your trees in a lot of ways. From damaging your water pipes to bringing harm with their limbs, there are cases in which removing your trees might be inevitable.

Your Tree’s Branches Are Overhanging

If you want to keep your home safe, then you should definitely consider trimming your trees. This is because overhanging branches can bring all sorts of issues. One of the most common issues happens when tree branches are starting to get near power lines.

From bringing fire and electrical hazards to potentially harming your neighbor’s property, you should always be on top of your trees. That way, you’ll save yourself from a lot of troubles in the future. 

What Time of Year Should Trees Be Cut Down?

With the top warning signs of when to cut down a tree all set up, it’s now time for you to know the best time to dispose of trees.

Although it’s a common question among homeowners, it’s vital for you to know that the best time to cut down trees that pose a major threat to your home is right away! You shouldn’t wait when it comes to danger.

In other cases, when having trees that count on mild and less severe problems with your trees, then you should definitely cut down trees during early spring or late winter. The reason for this is because, at this time of year, there’s much better control of the overall cutting process. 

Cutting down a tree during late winter and early spring makes trees dormant. In other words, most tree species have lighter branches, not to mention leafless as well. This makes the process much smoother.

Is It Illegal to Cut Down Trees on Your Own Property?

Depending on which state you live, cutting down may bring all sorts of legal issues. Just like there are states in which you don’t need permission to cut down a tree, there are states that you can get a penalty for cutting a tree without a permit!

However, when it comes to having trees near utility lines, utility companies in all states count on strict regulations. After all, the risk these trees bring is high. If you want to read more about the laws that each state has, we invite you to read this article.

For this reason, it’s always best to leave licensed arborists to handle the job. Not only do they know the proper way on how to cut down a tree, but also they rely on the permit to dispose of trees. Last but not least, they know exactly when a tree needs to be removed. 

With professionals taking care of your trees, you can be sure that you’ll keep all trouble away!