Tips For Checking Your Trees During The Winter Months

The winter can wreak havoc on the trees in your yard. The weight of snow and ice on the individual branches can cause them to bend and break, leaving you with a mess, a potential safety hazard, and an unsightly scene in your yard. Your local tree service is the company to call when you notice problems with your trees. Even during the winter, the tree service will be able to dispatch a crew to your location to take care of your problem, whether it's trimming off a few problematic branches or, in severe cases, removing a tree with a damaged trunk. Here are some tips for checking your trees during the winter.

Make Safety Your Focus

Safety should always be your top priority when checking your trees during the winter. Try to position yourself so that you're not standing directly under a tree's limbs. It will be easier to see the individual branches of deciduous trees, given their lack of leaves, but you should never put yourself in harm's way to assess a tree's condition. Sometimes, looking at a tree from an upper window of your home will give you a unique perspective that you can use to note whether any branches appear cracked or bent.

Look At The Branch Angles

You'll be able to get a sense of whether the tree is facing any issues from the ice or snow by inspecting the angles of the branches. On many trees, the branches will naturally grow up and out from the trunk. However, if they're holding a heavy load of snow or ice, you'll see that the branches are aimed downward. In some cases, you'll see that the branches have cracked near the trunk — or, the branches are bent at such sharp angles that cracks appear imminent.

Call A Tree Service

When you've identified the issues affecting your trees, call your local tree service to explain the situation. For example, you can say that a large tree has several bent or partially broken branches that you'd like trimmed or removed. You should always let the tree service know if there's an immediate rush for the job. For example, if some of the branches are dramatically bent and are now just a few inches above the power lines that run nearby, getting the branches trimmed or removed will be more time sensitive, and the tree service can dispatch a crew on an emergency basis.

For more information, contact companies like Tree Worx.