While trees are beautiful and add to the look of the house, they pose a danger to you, your family members, and property. The cool thing is that you can prevent accidents by removing the tree early enough. To help you out, here are things recommended by tree removal companies that you should look out for to tell that the tree is a ticking time bomb:

Dead or broken branches

You are more likely to have dead or broken branches after a storm. Sometimes the branches are cracked but still firmly attached which poses a danger when they fall. After a storm, you should inspect the trees and if you notice broken tree branches, consider getting rid of them. The rule of thumb is that you should remove a branch that has lost more than 1/3 of the bark’s circumference.

Branch or trunk cavities

Tree cavities can result due to different reasons. These reasons include: storms, fungus, fires or even improper pruning. The stress imposed on the trees exposes the heartwood of the tree. Without the bark to protect the tree, the heartwood is at high risk of developing fungal infections that result to decay. Birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other animals make the cavities their homes. In some cases, they enlarge the holes increasing the danger.

In addition to the holes getting bigger, they also accumulate water which as you know promotes rotting and decay. In no time the tree gets weak putting your properly at risk. To protect your family and property get rid of any tree that has a large, decaying cavity.

Tree cracks

Just like broken branches, a cracked tree puts your property at significant risk. Cracks result from lightning strikes, frost, decay, and frequent high winds. The crack weakens the tree and it’s more likely to fall on your property. If the crack is minor, the tree can heal by itself, but if it splits at the middle, there are no chances of it healing. In such a scenario, you are better off hiring an arborist to get rid of the tree.

Diseased tree

Just like humans, it’s easy to tell when a tree is sick. Its color changes, and looks weak. While some of the diseases aren’t dangerous, others such as laminated root rot, annossus root disease, black-stain root disease, Armillaria root disease and others are lethal, and you should consider getting rid of the tree as soon as you notice it. To avoid infecting other trees or yourself, hire the services of a tree services company.