Key takeaways
- Look for dead limbs, tight forks and long, heavy branches
- Check trees over roofs, drives and play areas first
- Schedule pruning and cabling in calm weather
- Know who to call after a storm
Walk your property
Look up. Dead limbs, hanging branches, V-shaped forks and long limbs reaching over the house are the first to fail.
Check the trunk and base for cracks, cavities and mushrooms, and the soil for heaving.
Fix the weak points
Remove dead wood, thin dense crowns and shorten long limbs. Cabling can reinforce weak forks on valuable trees. Remove trees that are too far gone.
Do this in late winter and spring when the weather is calm.
Plan for the aftermath
Keep your tree service's number handy. After a storm, stay away from limbs touching lines, take photos for insurance and call for help with anything hanging or under tension.
Leave big cleanup to professionals.
Related services
Quick answers
Does pruning prevent storm damage?
It reduces it by lowering weight and removing weak parts, but it cannot stop all damage.
What about ice storms?
Ice adds heavy weight to branches, so weak forks and long limbs are the main concern.
Ready to talk it through? Get a free estimate or call 615-431-3789.