I have several old (at least 50-80 years) maples(sugar, red I think) on my property in western Pennsylvania. Some of them have double trunks and low limbs. They are spaced far enough apart to provide shade but to allow the trees to branch out. A limb off one of the trees fell on my neighbors car this winter during a storm. I don't believe that the limb was dead. Are these trees dangerous because of their age or shape? Last summer they all had leaves.
Old Maple trees
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Kneejerk Bombas
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What you are asking about is hazard assessment. The first thing a tree needs to be considered a hazard, is a target. What will the tree hit if it fails?
Next, it needs some kind of fault or weakness.
If you have an arborist come to look at your trees, he should be able to walk around and assess the trees. If you are going to hire the tree work out, most arborist will do this type of walk around as a free estimate, in the hopes he'll get the work, otherwise there may be a consulting fee.
If you are concerned about liability for the damage to you r neighbor's car, unless the neighbor advised you of a problem with the tree before it failed, his insurance will take care of the damages and that will be that. If your trees are in horrible shape and are obviously hazardous, that might be different, which is why having a proffesional come in to look things over from time to time may be a good idea.
He'll look for dead or dying limbs, weak crotches, hollows, cracks, root damage, buried root flares, disease, low vitality, and anything else that might be a problem.
He will likely recommend a crown cleaning on the higher value trees, to remove hazards, deadwood, badly crossing limbs and do a more complete inspection. This type of work can get expensive, so what most folks do is set a budget for tree maintenance and have an arborist come in for some set amount of time each year, to take care of the most important things.
Older trees can become hazardous and seem like a liability, but if they are given at least some maintenance, they become a big asset, both in terms of property value and value to society.
Be carefull in hiring. Look for an ISA certified arborist, make sure he gives you proof of insurance (including Workmans compinsation) in writting from the insurance compay before work starts, and don't let him climb your trees with spikes on his feet, unless he's removing it. You'll want to ask him if he follows ANSI standards and wears safety gear like hardhat, safety glasses, and cut resistant chaps. Be leary of somebody that wants to remove lower limbs for no reason, this often indicates an unskilled arborist looking for the easiest work, and can be very bad for the tree. The same is true for gutting the tree (removing small interior shoots and limbs).
Asking these things will help insure your getting somebody that will do good things to your trees, and not permenently damage your valuable assets. Unfortunately, the tree service industry has many unqualified "hacks", that you wouldn't want working in your yard, even if it were for free. The interview at the estimate is your best protection.
Next, it needs some kind of fault or weakness.
If you have an arborist come to look at your trees, he should be able to walk around and assess the trees. If you are going to hire the tree work out, most arborist will do this type of walk around as a free estimate, in the hopes he'll get the work, otherwise there may be a consulting fee.
If you are concerned about liability for the damage to you r neighbor's car, unless the neighbor advised you of a problem with the tree before it failed, his insurance will take care of the damages and that will be that. If your trees are in horrible shape and are obviously hazardous, that might be different, which is why having a proffesional come in to look things over from time to time may be a good idea.
He'll look for dead or dying limbs, weak crotches, hollows, cracks, root damage, buried root flares, disease, low vitality, and anything else that might be a problem.
He will likely recommend a crown cleaning on the higher value trees, to remove hazards, deadwood, badly crossing limbs and do a more complete inspection. This type of work can get expensive, so what most folks do is set a budget for tree maintenance and have an arborist come in for some set amount of time each year, to take care of the most important things.
Older trees can become hazardous and seem like a liability, but if they are given at least some maintenance, they become a big asset, both in terms of property value and value to society.
Be carefull in hiring. Look for an ISA certified arborist, make sure he gives you proof of insurance (including Workmans compinsation) in writting from the insurance compay before work starts, and don't let him climb your trees with spikes on his feet, unless he's removing it. You'll want to ask him if he follows ANSI standards and wears safety gear like hardhat, safety glasses, and cut resistant chaps. Be leary of somebody that wants to remove lower limbs for no reason, this often indicates an unskilled arborist looking for the easiest work, and can be very bad for the tree. The same is true for gutting the tree (removing small interior shoots and limbs).
Asking these things will help insure your getting somebody that will do good things to your trees, and not permenently damage your valuable assets. Unfortunately, the tree service industry has many unqualified "hacks", that you wouldn't want working in your yard, even if it were for free. The interview at the estimate is your best protection.
Mike's right overall, but a risk assessment is done by an independent objective consulting arborist who has enough knowledge to sell their opinions for a small feeMike Maas said:
and who will recommend good local contractors to do the work. If they are on that list, that's OK.A hazard assessment is done by someone who wants :blob5: the work. The most ethical of these may still be biased toward overselling, and exaggerate small defects into big hazards. There may not be a good independent consultant in the area, but look under "Arborist", not "Tree Service" first. Most tree services are removal specialists.
At the very least get a few opinions, objective or not. Check references. Many certified arborists have little experience with risk assessment, so don't just follow the first opinion you get.
Kneejerk Bombas
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The difference is wether or not you're looking for an expert legal opinion, or an informed opinion about the condition of the trees, and what maintenance they might need.
A consulting arborist will cost $250 and up to come look at the trees, then you still need an arborist to come do the work.
So unless you are seeking legal advice or you get conflicting opinions about the tree work from arborists and you're confused, I'd say hiring a consulting arborist may be overkill.
Now if the trees are extremely valuable, you're trying to avoid construction damage, or the scope of the job is huge, then that may be different. Otherwise, a good ISA Certified Arborist should be able to identify problems and recommend maintenance work. That's what they typically do all day long.
A consulting arborist will cost $250 and up to come look at the trees, then you still need an arborist to come do the work.
So unless you are seeking legal advice or you get conflicting opinions about the tree work from arborists and you're confused, I'd say hiring a consulting arborist may be overkill.
Now if the trees are extremely valuable, you're trying to avoid construction damage, or the scope of the job is huge, then that may be different. Otherwise, a good ISA Certified Arborist should be able to identify problems and recommend maintenance work. That's what they typically do all day long.
Mike Maas said:
1. Wow, $250 for a consultation? Man, I'd come back to Delafield-Oconomowoc Lake for the summer if I could get that kind of money for a consultation. Hey Mike, if you could put me & the fam up for a couple weeks, I'd give you a 50% bird-dog commission and still get by on a couple hours' work per day!
2. Even if you don't have a legal matter going on (and I hope you never do), an independent and objective opinion on risk assessment and maintenance recommendations are worth paying for. $250 may buy 3-4 hours of consultation in areas that are not as pricey as SE Wis. Doesn't sound like you need more than one.
Big limbs dropping should be a wake-up call that your trees need major work. You pay to tune up your car and change the oil, right? And if you get major engine trouble they charge for an unbiased diagnosis, right?
Same with trees. Free estimates are worth every penny they cost, but if they're a sales pitch disgused as fake science, they're worth much less.
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