5 Tree Trimming Tips To Protect Your House
Trees around the house provide desired shade and beauty. They can even lower cooling expenses by providing protection from the hot sun. The trees do need regular trimming, though, so that they don't pose a danger to the home.
1. Raise Low Crowns
Low branches in the crown can rest on top of roofs and guttering, or reduce air circulation around the house so that moss and mold growth is more likely. Your tree service will remove the low branches that are causing issues, effectively raising the crown so that there is sufficient clearance to prevent scraping and allow for air circulation around the house.
2. Trim Back Reaching Branches
Long branches can scrape off shingles, knock into windows, or damage siding. The branches may not reach the house during still weather, but high winds can bend the tree just enough so the reaching branches cause damage. Each branch that poses a threat should be trimmed back sufficiently so that it doesn't reach the house even when the wind is blowing hard. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove the branch entirely.
3. Prevent Trunk Forking
Forked tree trunks are more likely to split, resulting in at least half the tree falling onto your home. Not only can this cause severe damage, but it can also result in injury to anyone nearby or inside the house. Annual tree trimming ensures that landscape trees are trained to have only one central leader trunk that doesn't fork. Already forked trees can be pruned and braced so they don't pose as large of a threat.
4. Balance Out the Growth
Trees with heavier growth on one side of the crown are unbalanced, which increases the chances of them dropping a branch or blowing down due to the lopsided weight distribution. Thinning out the overgrown side so the crown is better in balance is the key to preventing this issue. Plus, the tree will look much better when its top growth is in a more visually pleasing symmetrical form.
5. Thin Top-Heavy Trees
Some trees simply have excessive crown growth but small root systems. These are more likely to come down when the ground is very wet or during a wind storm. Your tree service can evaluate the roots, and then use that information to prune and thin the crown out so that the weight of the crown won't put any type of stress on a smaller root system.
Contact a tree trimming service if you need more help with maintaining your trees.