Would these tall trees beside my house concern you?

[CanadaTreeRoger]

I really love these trees but the prevailing wind in storms blows them towards my house and they get some fairly good motion in the bigger storms. There are about a dozen of them in total (at the far end of the line, there are two clumps of four.) So far, they all look reasonably healthy but I'm wondering if I should take them down and plant some replacements that won't grow as tall. I plan to be at this property for another 30+ years so I am thinking long term. The rules in my area for having trees removed are only getting more complicated. As it stands today, I would need multiple reports (arborist and biologist) and will have to go through a multi-month process to get permission to take these trees down but it sounds like there is a reasonable chance that they will allow it. As regulations evolve, there is a risk that in the future I would need to wait until the trees show obvious signs of sickness before I am allowed to do anything. I am located in British Columbia, Canada.

Video here:

 

[ElevatorGuy]

If that were my spread they would already be gone. Trees that tall have no business that close to a structure. Good luck!

 

[TheJollyLogger]

If that were my spread they would already be gone. Trees that tall have no business that close to a structure. Good luck!

That is your stock answer

 

[CanadaTreeRoger]

Thanks for those replies. Let me frame it a little differently. Do you think an arborist would write a report saying that based on the amount the trees swing in the wind, they are not safe to have beside a house?

 

[ZinTrees]

they are doing what they were made to do, the sway is how they don't break
tough to tell from the video but it looks like they wouldn't be able to hit your house anyways

does the area around the base of each tree have any signs of "root heave"? where the roots on the back side of the tree have started to lift? its usually the first sign that a tree is about to uproot

I would have someone that has more experience come out and take a look to determine height and if they would hit the house, if not then id leave them
most experienced tree guys can judge a trees fall within about a foot, call a local tree company and ask them to take a look, even better if they have a certified arborist since the city will likely require an ISA certified arborist to sign off on it

 

[CanadaTreeRoger]

The video may be a little deceiving but they would definitely hit the house. Maybe 30 feet from the house and 100 feet tall.

 

[J D]

Good advice from @ZinTrees, although I also think they could reach the house. Is that another structure underneath them too?
I think the answers you get will be largely arborist dependent, especially if the trees are healthy. If the prevailing wind generally blows towards the house they will have grown to bare that, it would be significant winds from the opposite direction that would worry them. Personally I would be most concerned about the ground conditions at the base & the risk of them having very wet feet & it being very windy at the same time.
If you do decide to have them removed it will likely be necessary to remove them all together as they will be mutually supportive & removing 1 or 2 will just make the remaining trees far more prone to coming down in the future

 

[ElevatorGuy]

That is your stock answer

Yeah, I figured you’d reply something like that. I’m not wrong…

 

[ZinTrees]

The video may be a little deceiving but they would definitely hit the house. Maybe 30 feet from the house and 100 feet tall.

ok, would worry me a little but not a whole lot still, a big part of that being how "fluffy" they are, if they were to hit the house it would be extremely gentle, last year I did a job where there was a landslide, 5 pines and 2 small oaks sitting on a mobile home, all that and the damage was one small dent in the tin roof

honestly, if it was up to me, so long as the roots arent heaving and the prevailing wind is always from one direction, I wouldnt sign off on having them removed unless there was another reason such as plans to build a shed there or something, but its impossible to really say from a video or pictures, my company policy has always been "no online estimates or consultations", its impossible to know the full story from a video, same reason I never give consults unless the customer is there with me, because they may notice something over the years that I can't catch when im there for 15 minutes on a calm day

I would still call a certified arborist, I believe ISA has a website where you can find an arborist thats local, they will be able to give a much clearer answer

 

[ZinTrees]

Yeah, I figured you’d reply something like that. I’m not wrong…

can't just say to remove every tree because its close to the house, with your way of answering these there wouldnt be a single tree in any town

did you know, over 99% of trees that are within falling distance of a house never actually fall on the house?
actually I made up the 99%, but its probably more like 99.78% or something like that

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Remove them before you end up like this.

 

[ZinTrees]

Remove them before you end up like this.

View attachment 1139426View attachment 1139427View attachment 1139428View attachment 1139429

cheaper to remove now, not worried about damaging the pool, bill will be so much less for the trees that you can afford a new pool just in money saved

 

[ElevatorGuy]

In the past now, second time it’s happened to me and twice to good friends of ours too. Your percentages are no where close to accurate.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

DISCLAIMER: None of this is advise, legal or otherwise.
Looks to me like the trees are fine unless the roots negatively impact a foundation. @ElevatorGuy has a completely valid point, though getting someone to sign off on removing healthy trees is likely going to be quite difficult and expensive until one of the trees is distressed; once a tree shows signs of distress there is a case for removing all of them, especially if two or more are in distress. When a tree is judged as an "immediate hazard" is often when a permit is not needed (usually by an exception in the regulations governing removal of trees) and they can be taken down immediately and with the least expense.

 

[lone wolf]

Around here, no one wants the responsibility of telling you they aren't going to break. If they refuse to let you remove them, send a certified letter telling them they should be responsible for anything that happens to your house and will they cover any and all damages.
This could sway them. Who would want that liability. If you get a snow or ice storm, and it sticks to those trees with high wind, look out!

 

[holeycow]

Jftr, those trees are just happily swaying. Or maybe partying a bit...

That's all I know from the vid. Nice vid, btw.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

In the past now, second time it’s happened to me and twice to good friends of ours too. Your percentages are no where close to accurate.

Google anecdotal evidence vs. Empirical evidence. I agree that Zin's percentage is off, by a few decimal points too low.

 

[ZinTrees]

Google anecdotal evidence vs. Empirical evidence. I agree that Zin's percentage is off, by a few decimal points too low.

out of millions of trees, only a few thousand a year fall, and less, way less than half that end up on a house, im not sure the exact math but honestly a tree falling, being close enough to your house, and actually falling on it are way slimmer than 1 in a million

 

[Seachaser]

did you know, over 99% of trees that are within falling distance of a house never actually fall on the house?
actually I made up the 99%, but its probably more like 99.78% or something like that

100% of trees will fall eventually. In the Southeast hurricanes a tornados will level everything. My yard.

 

[Seachaser]

out of millions of trees, only a few thousand a year fall, and less, way less than half that end up on a house, im not sure the exact math but honestly a tree falling, being close enough to your house, and actually falling on it are way slimmer than 1 in a million

My cousin had two in one year.