Tree services equip your trees to withstand heavy winds and rain during storm season. Professional tools and methods rescue damaged trees and reduce the chance of trees falling on structures or people. Here are a few tips on how to protect your trees during storm season to avoid any damages or accidents:
Inspecting Tree Health
Certified arborists assess overall tree health and stability risks. Inspections focus on a tree’s trunk, root system, and canopy. Decaying wood, fungal diseases, and insect infestations weaken trees. Arborists’ training helps detect hazards that make trees prone to windthrow. They spot structural flaws and defects that compromise trees during storms. Once these issues have been identified, professional tree service providers can work to protect trees from heavy rain, lighting strikes, and high winds.
Pruning the Tree
Pruning removes branches so winds can pass through rather than build enough force to push the tree over. For large trees, arborists thin canopies to balance structural integrity. They also cut away branches at risk of breaking off and becoming airborne hazards. Pruning strengthens trees for hazards, like lightning strikes and saturated soil, that accompany heavy storms.
Bracing and Cabling
Metal cables mitigate the hazard of large limbs splitting off in high winds and falling on structures, vehicles, or people. Arborists identify structural defects in tree canopies and install cabling systems to support weight and movement. Bracing keeps cracked or leaning trunks from splitting or falling. Cabling and bracing offer stabilization, allowing owners to keep trees rather than remove them. These techniques help preserve trees with sentimental or historic value from needing removal after storms.
Protecting Against Lightning
Lightning traveling down trunks can split the wood and start fires. Lightning rods give the current a safe path to the ground to avert damage. They connect to copper cables that also run underground to dissipate charges. While lightning is unpredictable, some tree species and locations face higher strike risks. Lightning protection systems prevent tree injury and protect nearby structures from fires started by lightning striking trees.
Cleaning up Debris
Some professional arborists offer maintenance services and yard cleanup. Tree services offered after storms include removing fallen or snapped branch piles that obstruct driveways, streets, or sidewalks and clearing the way for emergency vehicles and utility crews. Arborists cut away large tree limbs and pick up fallen branches and leaves. As they clear hazards, arborists inspect surviving trees for injuries so they can make property owners aware of future risks.
Preserving the Roots
For upended root plates, crews cover exposed roots with soil, compost, or mulch to prevent desiccation. If the wind moves soil to expose roots without toppling the tree, they apply mulch to restore insulation and moisture retention. Root care helps stability, and helps to combat oversaturation and root rot from heavy rainfall. These methods improve a tree’s chances of survival in the storm’s aftermath.
Removing Damaged Trees
When storm-damaged trees pose risks to home and business owners, removal is often the only option. Cracked trunks and split canopies make some trees hazards that can’t be salvaged. If root plates lift out of the ground, prompt removal helps to mitigate the chance of compromised trees causing injuries or major property destruction during or after a storm.
Hire Dependable Tree Services
Professional tree services help to protect and maintain the trees on your property, especially during storm season. Depending on the service provider, they may be able to help you prepare in advance to strengthen or support your trees. Cables and pruning make sure that your trees do not tip, split, or uproot. Hiring reputable service providers with specialized tools and training protects your property investments and personal safety before, during, and after unpredictable storm seasons. Contact a reputable local service to prepare your landscape today.
