Arborist encourages you to check your trees after heavy storms

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - After the deadly July 21st storm, experts are warning you to check your trees for damage or disease.

Experts with The Arborist said you should be getting your trees checked routinely. But, there are some ways to see problems on the tree yourself.

James Lightsey, owner of The Arborist, a local tree service, said the best thing you can do is bring out an expert for a free evaluation, but there are a few ways to know if your tree may be decaying.

Any type of mushrooms, sawdust, or fungus near the bottom of the tree can be an indicator of decay or bugs. He said you can also tell when leaves are falling off the very top of the tree, that could be a sign of root damage.

Lightsey said ignoring these signs can cause the center of the tree to rot out and that’s when winds and storms can cause the tree to fall. He said there is no way to tell how long a tree will stay standing if it is rotting, but it can happen very quickly. Lightsey says they also see trouble in split tree’s, so it’s could to get one limb removed or checked.

He said routine care can help keep your property safe.

“We can do all type of structural pruning to get stuff away from your house and its completely okay for the tree,” Lightsey said. “We can eliminate everything above the roofline, so the limbs wont crash down and tear the gutter up.”

Lightsey said pruning is important and can help the structure of the tree. He said you don’t want limbs dangling over the house.

Lightsey said if a tree does fall and cause damage to your property, insurance won’t always cover it. He said there are times when if the tree was rotting or diseased before it fell, insurance companies will say it was neglected by the owner.

Click here to schedule an expert to look at your trees.

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