Tree Maintenance Tips for Stormy Summers!

Summer is a wonderful time! The sun rises sooner, the early morning air has that crisp dew that fades with the sun, and the earlier rising of the sun brings heat for everyone who craves it! People start to go out more, traveling, camping, and going out of the house and around the town to enjoy the clear skies and open roads!

Imagine for a moment waking up after sleeping in on a bright weekend morning of summer. You made plans with close friends earlier in the week to go to the lake and enjoy the cool water while the warmth of the sun is out and thriving. You check the weather and clear skies are in the radar. You pack up your belongings, hop in the car, pick up your friends and head to the lake.

Hours after arriving, you feel a coolness rest over your face while you rest in your sun chair. Goosebumps form and suddenly the hot air isn’t so hot anymore. Looking up at the sky you see gray, and the winds are picking up. A classic summer electrical storm is filling in above your county of fun.

Time to cut things short. With a sigh you pack up your belongings and your friends and head back into town. When you come back to your house you feel your stomach rise to your throat. The long-established cottonwood tree that had been in the yard of your home for generations has finally fallen. Unfortunately, the wind pushed it to the east, and your country style home that had been in the family for generations was also to the east and is now resting underneath the weight of the large cottonwood tree.

There are many maintenance techniques that you can practice trying to keep this from happening to you. Following through with these tips could be the difference between a casual summer of fun and a summer of expenses.

1. Trim your luscious trees.

Think of it as giving your tree a haircut, without it the limbs will grow long, but also grow old and weaker with time. Keeping your tree trimming regular keeps up on the promise of having a tree that looks happy and healthy. If you are not able to do the trimming yourself or the trees around your home are simply overwhelming, there are tree trimming companies in most areas. Even if your tree is healthy, trimming those larger branches is important, as in the severe winds of summer they could break off and cause damage to your roof and windows to your home and vehicles.

2. Water those trees!

Older trees can last longer without water and can handle most summers worth of natural water, but if you have a water plan in your yard, consider the tree as well. If you are planting small trees, or recently started up some new trees, be sure to water them as needed, as it not only helps keep them alive, but also helps them grow straight and tall. A little tip is to water a tree about ten gallons of water for every inch of the trunk’s diameter.

3. Keep an eye out for your tree's health.

If your tree seems unhealthy, perhaps the bark is falling off often, or the branches are falling off or hanging down, or the leaves can’t stay in summer, consider checking for pests and diseases living within your tree. Pests can tear up a tree trying to create a home out of it, and diseases can be the same downfall for trees that they can be for people. There are insect control sprays you can buy at your local stores to help maintain this problem if it occurs.

4. Keep the roots safe.

The roots are the health system of the tree and if those are damaged, resources are not going to get through most of your tree. Ways to help keep your roots safe is to avoid parking your cars or heavy equipment on the roots of your trees. Avoid using and removing the soil underneath the tree as that can cause distress to the secure system of the tree.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to file a claim for tree damage on your home here is how you can get started. Be sure to assess the damage that the tree has caused. This way you can check to see if the costs are going to cost more than your deductible on your home insurance plan.

Once you have looked over your coverage you can take the following steps with the help of your agent to file a home insurance claim for tree damage. You will most likely have to take photos of the damage to send to the insurance company. From there your insurer will inspect the damages and assess what the repairs will cost. Based on the inspection they will reimburse you while also regarding the conditions of your policy.

Summer is a beautiful time to be outside and enjoy the sunny skies. But sometimes those picture-perfect days turn into windy equations for disaster. Act ahead of the storm and take care of those majestic trees in your yard so that you can have the fun care-free summer you crave!

You can be prepared more by talking to your agent and understanding your insurance coverage.