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How To Know If Your Tree Needs To Be Removed or Just Pruned

Trees are one of the most important aspects of a residential property, offering stunning beauty, valuable shade, and long-term value to the property. Unfortunately, over the course of a tree’s life, various factors can impact their health, stability, and value, leaving property owners unsure of whether or not the tree should be removed. In today’s blog post, we look at three critical questions to consider regarding trees on your residential property. The answers to these questions will hopefully help residential property owners know whether their tree needs to be removed, or simply just pruned.

Is My Tree Healthy?

The first step in determining if your tree needs to be removed or simply pruned comes from assessing the tree’s overall health. If the tree is severely damaged due to disease or insect infestations, then a tree removal may be necessary as the disease or insects could make the tree unstable or impact other healthy trees nearby. Signs of these issues include branches breaking off on their own, poor leaf growth, or rotten sections of bark. On the contrary, some trees that are damaged by lightning strikes or high winds can often survive major breaks with just strategic pruning and maintenance, and do not need to be completely removed.

Is My Tree Threatening Property or People?

Another crucial question to ask of your tree is whether it is starting to threaten nearby property or even individuals walking near it. A tree can threaten property in two key ways: above ground and below ground. Above ground, trees threaten nearby property such as homes, businesses, cars, and other structures through unstable or broken limbs and branches. A falling branch or major limb can cause severe damage or personal injuries, creating serious liability issues for the tree owner. Below ground, tree roots can cause significant structural damage to building foundations, plumbing and electrical systems, and flat surfaces such as driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, and entrances. Trees that pose an above ground threat can usually just be strategically pruned to prevent damages or injuries, but tree removal may be needed to prevent costly tree damages below ground.

Is My Tree Difficult To Maintain?

For residential property owners, a key question to consider is whether a tree is becoming difficult to maintain. Examples of this may be a tree that was erroneously planted too close to power lines and now requires frequent, careful tree pruning, a tree species that needs constant pruning and shaping, or a deciduous tree that sheds far too many leaves and requires significant clean up during the fall and winter months. In these cases, the property owner must consider the time and expense spent on the tree’s maintenance, and if the tree still provides enough aesthetic and financial value to make the expenses worth it.

Embark Services’s team of Certified Arborists specializes in helping residential property owners throughout the greater Houston area determine the right next step for their trees and appropriate treatment or removal options. Embark Services offers a full range of top-quality, safe, and efficient tree care services, including Tree Evaluation, Tree Pruning, Tree Removal, Tree Planting, Deep Root Fertilization, Cabling and Bracing, and Tree Preservation services. Embark Services believes that trees are our best property asset, and deserve the utmost care and respect. Contact Embark Services today for more information about our residential tree care services, or go online to request a free consultation!