WASHINGTON 鈥� There are telltale signs a tree might be likely to fall over聽in violent storms and strong winds.
Homeowners can examine and consider聽the tree’s root system, age and overall health.
“A tree that’s at risk of toppling almost all the time聽has had some of its roots compromised,” said Scott Aker, head of horticulture and education at the National Arboretum.
Anchoring root systems can be weakened聽by excavations, such as a trench being dug, or聽soil compaction, which can happen, for example, under聽a sidewalk, or where a car聽might have parked during a party.
Mushroom-type growths at the base of the trunk are a red flag indicating a聽tree is dead or dying from 鈥渉eart rot.鈥� “That tells you that there’s active decay going on there,” Aker said.
Some trees might be at risk of falling because they’re聽old. Life spans vary by species 鈥� silver and red maples can live 100 to 150 years, while a white oak might live for 400 years.
If you have a really old tree, Aker recommends having its condition聽professionally accessed because they’re usually larger, and can do more damage if they fall.
Hiring an arborist to do a risk assessment, Aker said, is much like聽having your tree examined by a doctor who knows to ask all the right questions. Depending on the tree and location, prices聽might聽range between $150 and $400.
“Worth every penny if it prevents a tree from falling on your house,” Aker noted.
Finally, Aker warns about the聽practice of removing portions of branches from the tops of trees, which some tree service companies聽claim聽will reduce your risk.
“We tell people never to top trees,”聽Aker said. “You compromise the tree’s structure and it鈥檚 even more likely to have a problem if you do that. It actually is almost a slow death sentence to that tree if you top it.”
