If you live in Bothell, Kirkland, Woodinville, or other parts of the greater Seattle area, you and your trees may have been impacted by recent stormy weather.
After major weather events that involve high winds, heavy rains, ice, or lightning—all of which passed through the Puget Sound this last weekend—it’s really important to inspect your trees for damage or distress.
This is especially true of trees whose branches are close to roads, structures, or power lines. Fall storms can break off tree limbs or even push trees over, which often leads to greater destruction.
Winter Storms in Bothell
Severe weather can happen year-round in Bothell, but the most severe and potentially damaging storms occur from October to April. These storms can include high winds, extreme cold, rain, snow, and ice.
High winds are actually quite common in Bothell, and also one of the biggest factors in storm-related tree damage. Downed power lines from wind-toppled trees have caused regional power outages in Bothell in 2006 and again in 2008.
Localized power outages occur almost every year in Bothell, as well as in nearby towns such as Woodinville, Kirkland, Lynwood, and Everett.
Aside from toppled trees, winter storms commonly cause broken or dangling branches, or exacerbate existing problems like cracked trunks or weak limbs.
Practical Steps After Tree Failure
As you inspect your trees after strong winds or heavy snow or rain, try to answer these two questions:
- Are major limbs still remaining and the trunk unbroken?
- Are at least 50% of the tree’s branches still intact?
If the answer is yes, then your tree will most likely be able to recover well.
If the tree or trees are more damaged than this—or if they’ve fallen over entirely—then you definitely need to call in a professional local arborist.
Why not deal with your damaged trees yourself?
An arborist is, by definition, someone who has a lot of experience assessing and treating trees for damage, so they will be able to spot problems that might escape the untrained eye.
Hiring an arborist for storm-damaged trees is much safer than trying to cut branches yourself. There are actually plenty of risks involved with damaged trees, such as electrocution if the tree is in contact with live wires, or unpredictable movements from limbs under tension. Your arborist will have the training and experience necessary to deal safely with tree-caused hazards.
If your tree is in very bad shape, it might even need aboveground chainsaw work to clear out broken or hanging limbs, or bracing and cabling to keep the tree from splitting.
In the worst cases, your tree might need to be removed in order to remove its risk.
When you use an arborist service that is local to your area and has a history of caring for trees there, you’ll benefit from their many years of accumulated region-specific tree knowledge. No matter what tree problem you have, they have seen it—and fixed it—before.
When it comes to trees, mistakes are quite costly, so use a pro!
How To Prevent Storm Damage To Trees
Preventative care can be the deciding factor in whether or not your tree survives a beating from a storm.
Some of the most important items on the preventive care checklist involve tree pruning. Careful and selective pruning accomplishes a few tree care goals:
- Trains trees to improve their form
- Identifies defects and actively manage them before they can become problematic
- Removes dead or defective branches
- Corrects problems caused by earlier, improper tree care techniques (such as topping or over-thinning of branches)
Tree maintenance by a professional tree care service ensures that your trees get regular “checkups” to keep them growing healthy and strong, no matter what kind of crazy weather swings through the Pacific Northwest this winter.
Emergency Tree Removal Service in Bothell
When trees fall on houses, cars, or into roads, then it’s time to call a 24 hour tree service like Elite Tree Care. Emergency tree removal needs to be done as quickly, efficiently, and safely as possible, so it’s important to get a crew with the right experience and training on the job ASAP.
Elite Tree Care has a 24-hour hotline for tree emergencies. If you need us, we’ll be there to investigate the tree and take quick action to mitigate the existing damage and prevent any more from occurring.
If you want more help and expert advice about your trees from ISA-certified local arborists, give us a call at (425) 350-6909 to schedule your free consultation! We work in the entire Puget Sound area, including Kirkland, Woodinville, Bothell, Lynnwood, Everett, and Seattle.