Homeowner Tips

Several property owners don't realize that maintaining your property in a hazard-free safe condition includes taking care of your trees.

It is beneficial for a property owner to collect an accurate inspection of trees and execute a maintenance program to reduce the chance of hazardous conditions, lawsuits and to protect the property value.

There are very few properties that don't include trees, shrubs and other plants. These attributes add a positive aesthetic and financial value to the property. However, if these items are not maintained properly, they can actually take away from the value of your property.

When a property is under construction, the concentration tends to be on project managers, architects, developers, etc. The trees, shrubs and other plants which are already in place are frequently over-looked. While trees appear to be fine, they may have experienced damage from wind, lightening, insect, or disease.

Too many times, a tree is just waiting for the right type of circumstance, such as wind, rain or ice, to cause damage. To prevent this from happening, the trees and plants need to be properly protected to make sure that their health and safety do not contribute to damages later.

If a tree falls and causes damage, the property owner may be negligent. Usually the tree needs to cause injury or damage in order to claim negligence. Courts take into consideration, whether or not, a property owner was acting reasonable in the care of the trees. Therefore, it is important to establish an accurate and well-developed maintenance program for your property.

A consulting arborist should be contacted to come up with an inspection and maintenance program for your trees that will make the homeowner aware of any unsound trees. Taking a little bit of time to plan ahead may save more issues in the future.

It is recommended that trees undergo a routine inspection to prevent from damages, insects, disease, etc. Anyone can perform this inspection but it is highly suggested that a consulting arborist execute this action. Through schooling and training, a consulting arborist can correctly identify healthy trees from ones that are not healthy or in danger of causing damage.

Even though there may not be visual tree damage, the tree may have structural damage caused by wind, rain or ice. The fact that you do not know about it is not a defense that is able to be taken. When in doubt, contact a consulting arborist to inspect and report on the trees on your property.