People tend to only think of trees in a positive manner. However, in many instances, trees can actually be serious hazards to human beings. This can certainly be true of overgrown trees. If you’re educated on how to spot such dangers and how experts can fix the problem, then you can protect your family and property from these threats.
Pests
One of the most important reasons to make sure your trees don’t become overgrown is the fact that overgrown trees can attract pest infestations. This includes pests such as:
- Aphids
- Adelgids
- Beetles
- Borers
- Lantern flies
- Oak worms
- Scale insects
- Spider mites
- Termites
- Wasps
These pests can kill trees. Dead trees can, of course, be deadly since they tend to collapse and fall over when least expected. Other pests like wasps can be a direct threat to your family. Pest infestations can quickly spread to other trees or even the structure of your house. Tree pruning and other basic tree management tasks to prevent overgrowth can make your trees less likely to attract these kinds of pests.
Falling Branches
Trees that become overgrown have a higher propensity for breaking off at any moment and falling below where they could harm people, pets, or property. This could happen due to freezing, the wind, or simply becoming dried out due to the heat.
Whatever the case, pruning branches is needed to remove these threats. That way, weaker branches are removed, while the stronger ones that are less likely to break off will remain. If a tree is tall, “crown reduction” may be needed to limit its height. Such jobs are inherently dangerous and should, of course, be left to professionals.
Tree Fires
Something else you must keep in mind to protect your family is the fact that overgrown trees are far more susceptible to catching fire. When a tree grows too much, it can accumulate a lot of leaves, foliage, and branches. Over time, these can dry out under the hot sun, and when that occurs, they can potentially catch fire or help spread an existing fire.
This is why you should keep trees neatly trimmed in your yard. You should also be aware that it’s almost impossible to prevent all sources of tree fire. For example, lightning strikes cause more forest fires than human activity does. There’s no way to prevent lightning from occurring. Your only choice to ensure that your home and family remain protected is to keep the trees you do have properly maintained instead of allowing them to overgrow to the point where they become a fire hazard.
If you live in or near Santa Rosa, CA and need tree trimming and pruning services, hire our company, TreePro Professional Tree Care, for the job. We have years of experience safely and efficiently paring back overgrown trees so that they no longer pose a hazard to homes and families. If you think your trees are becoming overgrown, don’t wait until it’s too late to prevent a disaster from happening.
