Most tree failures don't happen without warning. Walk your property with this checklist to catch the signs early — before a storm or a strong wind makes the decision for you.
You don't need to be an arborist to spot a tree that's becoming a liability. Most hazard signs are visible from the ground if you know what to look for. Go tree by tree around your property and check for each of these.
Some trees naturally grow at a slight angle. What matters is change — a lean that's increased recently, especially after wind or rain, can mean the root system is failing.
A crack that runs into the wood (not just the bark) suggests the trunk has lost structural integrity and could split further under load.
Dead wood in the canopy — sometimes called "widowmakers" — can fall with no warning, even on a calm day.
Fungal conks growing on the trunk or root flare are one of the more reliable outward signs of internal rot or root decay.
Roots that have been damaged by construction, trenching, or soil erosion compromise the anchor that keeps a tree upright in wind.
A visible hollow doesn't automatically mean the tree has to come down, but it does mean the remaining wood wall needs to be assessed for how much load it can still bear.
Where two large limbs meet at a tight, V-shaped angle instead of a rounded U, bark can get trapped between them, creating a weak point prone to splitting.
A crown that's noticeably thinner than neighboring trees of the same species, or dead branch tips concentrated at the top, often signals root or trunk stress below.
The same defects are a lot more urgent on a tree that could hit your house, car, or the power line than on one in an open field.
Broken branch stubs, torn bark, or a partially uprooted root ball from an earlier storm are common starting points for the next failure.
If you checked more than one box — especially on a tree near your home, a driveway, or a power line — it's worth having a professional take a look. Most risk factors don't mean automatic removal; they mean the tree needs a real assessment.
When we assess a tree for risk, we're not just deciding "remove or don't remove." We're looking at the whole picture: species, the extent of any decay, target risk (what's nearby), and whether corrective pruning could resolve the issue instead of full removal. We'll give you a straight answer, not an upsell.