How proper tree care can help minimize storm and water damage to Newtown Square, PA, Homes

2/17/2023 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Media explains the connection between tree care and property damage mitigation.

SERVPRO® of Media, PA, offers storm damage and water damage restoration services when falling limbs or trees cause structural damage to a home or business. Broken limbs and toppled trees account for a significant amount of storm damage and water damage done to homes. Heavy rains, supersaturated ground, and high winds can affect both healthy and diseased trees. Proper care includes fertilization, treatment for diseases, selective pruning, reshaping, and, at times, tree extraction.

A home’s treescape must be safe for the family to work and play under. Secondly, a beautiful treescape adds real value to a home. In an article at HGTV entitled “Increase Your Home’s Value With Mature Trees,” Valerie Finholm states, “Towering trees on your property provide more than beauty — they increase the value of your home. Several recent nationwide surveys show that mature trees in a well-landscaped yard can increase the value of a house by 7 percent to 19 percent.”

Listed below are several tips to keep the treescape healthy, safe, and beautiful.

Tip: Know the difference between a healthy tree and a diseased tree. Healthy trees are strong trees, and strong trees are at a lower risk of limb shed, splitting, or falling over due to root failure during severe weather. The homeowner should be alert to these key indicators of an unhealthy tree.

Tip: Cracks and splintering in large, supporting branches and in the trunk indicate the tree has suffered trauma from sustained winds, a microburst, a lightning strike, or impact from an adjacent tree that has experienced limb shed or that has fallen down. Sustained winds coupled with the weight of heavy rain or sleet and ice can weaken branches until they eventually snap. As the branches plummet to the ground, other branches can be broken off or damaged. Some branches become snagged in the canopy, creating a serious risk to anyone or anything under the tree. Damaged or snagged branches need to be removed as soon as possible. A competent arborist can save the tree and reshape the canopy in a way that preserves much of its beauty. Extraction need not be the only option.

Tip: Balance is essential for a beautiful and safe tree canopy. A leaning tree is a potentially dangerous tree. A leaning tree exerts massive stress on the trunk and the root system. A steep degree of angle can cause diseased or damaged limbs to snap. Winds can magnify the stress on the tree, causing it to break off at the trunk. If the ground is wet from a prolonged period of rain, the root system may give way altogether, allowing the tree to come crashing to the ground. In some cases, younger trees can be positioned upright and then anchored in place. This feat requires the expertise of a well-equipped and competent tree service professional.

Tip: Disease spells disaster for a tree if not caught in time. Signs of the disease include rotting limbs, rotting spots in the trunk and roots near the trunk, fungus or mold on the bark, peeling bark, insects boring into the tree, and limb and leaf shed. Sometimes the tree will “bleed” sap or give off a distinct odor. If a screwdriver or knife blade can be easily plunged into a limb or the trunk, immediately have an arborist examine the diseased tree and the entire arbor for disease spread. When diagnosed and treated early, the tree may be able to be nursed back to health.

Tip: An aging, distressed tree may have hollow sections anywhere from the trunk to the union of large branches and sometimes in the larger branches. If squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, and birds suddenly disappear into thin air, they may have pulled a “Houdini” and slipped into a knot hole or hollow to avoid being detected by predators, pets, or humans. Have the situation assessed by a certified arborist. Unfortunately, in serious cases of rotting and hollowing out, extraction may be the best and safest avenue.

Caution: A falling limb may cause damage to the limbs below in the canopy. Sometimes, other trees may be affected by the limb shed. However, if a tree topples in the yard, other trees could be severely damaged. To resolve the hazard, multiple trees may need to be removed. The beauty of the total arbor may be marred, but the treescape will be safe and healthy.

Bonus tip: Keep a close eye on those beautiful, shade-giving trees. Take quick action to call in a professional at the first signs of cracks, splintering, limb shed, leaf shed, rotting, fungus, or hollowing. An experienced, certified arborist can remedy most issues with strategic trimming or pruning, a treatment protocol for disease, and an ongoing fertilization regimen.

What to do if a tree causes storm damage and water damage

A limb puncture in the roof can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in water damage in a home. If a limb or tree damages the home’s roof resulting in water damage, contact the water damage cleanup and restoration professionals at SERVPRO of Media. The trained and certified professionals arrive on-scene in about an hour to begin the cleanup and restoration process. If needed, emergency tarping can be applied to stop the roof leak. The team can handle the entire project, from cleanup to rebuild services to the insurance claims process.

Contact SERVPRO of Media to learn more about water damage restoration in and around Regal Edgmont Square, Newtown Square, PA. The office can be reached by phone at (610) 566-5720 or by email at office@SERVPROmedia.com.