How To Assess Your Trees After a Storm and Identify Damage

How To Assess Your Trees After a Storm and Identify Damage
  • Opening Intro -

    Although it is extremely wise to check your trees before a storm hits, you should also check your trees after for signs of structural damage.

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The last thing you should have to worry about is a random tree branch falling and damaging your home after you thought you were in the clear.

To give you better peace of mind, learn how to assess your trees after a storm and identify damage.

Look For Hanging, Broken, or Weakly Attached Branches

Before clearing fallen trees after a storm, the first thing you should do is inspect trees for damage. Hanging or broken branches will usually be stuck in the tree’s canopy and should be removed as soon as possible.

Not only can this damage the quality of ventilation in the canopy, but these branches can easily become projectiles in another storm. Depending on the size of the branch, it can fall randomly and damage anything below.

To assess if a branch is weakly attached, look for areas with many branches stemming from the same point. If one breaks, the others are likely to fail, break, and fall with it.

These should be removed along with the other hanging or broken branches to mitigate potentially hazardous debris.

 

 

Inspect the Trunk for Pockets of Decay or Cracks

When inspecting the trunk for cracks, it’s important to remember that some cracks are normal, so look for deep cracks that go into the tree. These deep fissures indicate separation of the wood in the trunk, meaning its structural integrity is weak.

While looking for these cracks, look for pockets of decay. These will likely look darker than the rest of the tree and may have mushrooms growing out of the rot.

Pockets of decay also suggest an internal structural issue, making the tree more likely to fall.

Identify Any New Leaning or Root Exposure

It’s normal for trees to grow at odd angles or to see some root exposure. However, new or sudden tilting and subsequent root exposure indicate instability.

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Sometimes, a tree may lean and cause a shift in the root system, but you may not be able to see the roots shift underground. In this case, you should also inspect the surrounding area for new bubbles or humps of land, as this will indicate a major shift in the root system.

Knowing how to assess your trees and identify damage after a storm can help you pinpoint problem trees and save your home from unnecessary damage.

Remember to always contact a professional tree removal service before deciding to uproot and remove damaged trees.

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