Worried About Your Trees? How To Tell If They Should Be Removed

After I realized that my entire yard was at risk because of our towering pine trees, I decided to start looking for a professional tree service company. I didn't necessarily want to chop the trees down, but I knew that they needed to be trimmed in order to keep millions of pine needles from falling all over my yard. It was a lot of work, but I decided that it would be smart to protect my investments. After finding a great business, it was incredible to see how well they trimmed the trees and tidied up the foliage. This blog is all about working with a great tree service.

Worried About Your Trees? How To Tell If They Should Be Removed

22 February 2018
 Categories: , Blog


It's never easy to decide that it's time to remove a tree. However, there are times when the decision becomes necessary. This is particularly true when the tree is sick, or has suffered significant damage. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to identify problems that would require removal, especially if you're not experienced in tree health. Below are four signs that point to the need for tree removal. If any of the signs seem familiar, you should speak to a tree specialist about having it removed as soon as possible. Damaged trees can pose a threat to you, your home, and other trees.

There's Significant Trunk Damage

If your tree has sustained significant trunk damage, it might be time to have it removed. Trunk damage is not something that trees can recover from, especially if the damage is severe. Once the bark has been removed, and the trunk is exposed, the tree can suffer irreparable damage. Take a look at your tree. If you can see large areas where the trunk has been damaged, you should have a tree specialist come out and take a look. It might be time to remove the tree.

The Trunk Sounds Hollow

There may be times when the tree is sick and you can't tell by looking at it. That's when you tap on the trunk. You might not realize this, but the inside of the trunk contains vital tissue that your tree needs to remain healthy. Once the tissue is damaged, your tree will no longer be able to receive necessary nutrients, and it will begin to die from the inside out. Once that begins to happen, the trunk will have a hollow sound when you tap on it. That's because the internal tissue is gone. Give your tree a good tap. If it sounds hollow, it's time to have the tree removed.

The Tree is Dead on One Side Only

If your tree is showing signs of death or damage on just one side, it's going to need to be removed. Damage and disease affecting just one side of a tree puts it at risk for collapse. Unfortunately, if it collapses on your home, it can cause serious damage. If it falls on you, or someone else, the results can be catastrophic. Don't take chances. If only one side of your tree is healthy, it's time for it to be removed.

There's Severe Insect Infestation

Insects can pose another serious risk to your trees. Once trees are infested, it can be difficult to get the problem under control. Unfortunately, if you've got other trees in your yard, or there are nearby trees in neighboring yards, the insects will move on to those once they've killed the host tree. Without removing the tree, you could end up with a multitude of dead and dying trees. If you can't get control of the insect problem affecting your tree, you need to consider removal.

Contact a service, like Hagstrom & Sons Tree Service, for more help.