AUSINSPECTPest & Asset Maintenance

TREES & STORMS

Preparing trees for these natural disasters is a must and should be done well in advance of the stormy season. To help ease these dangers, have a professional arborist evaluate your trees. Doing this will help you determine potential weaknesses and dangers.

Over the years, growing trees will "catch" more wind and become heavier, so they are prone to increased mechanical stresses, thus increasing the chances of failure. Larger trees will also affect an increased area should they or their larger limbs fall. This means that power lines, homes and other structures that might not have been threatened a few years ago might suddenly be under threat by a tree that has grown.

If a tree has fallen during a storm it is strongly recommended not to approach the fallen tree as numerous unforeseen hazards may be present that could cause loss of life and/or severe injury. It is recommended to call the local Emergency Services immediately. The personnel of the Emergency Services are generally trained to identify possible hazards such has live electrical wires, unstable structures, hung trees etc'.

What can you do?

Consult a tree care professional. Ask the arborist to evaluate problems you have found and prioritize treatment. You should also ask the arborist to look for signs of potential hazards, such as stress cracks, weak branches and other subtle or hidden indicators of potential hazards.

Look at your trees for the following warning signs:

• Wires in contact with tree branches. Trees may become energized when they are contacted by electric wires.
• Dead or partially attached limbs hung up in the higher branches that could fall and cause damage or injury.
• Cracked stems and branch forks that could cause catastrophic failure of a tree section.
• Hollow or decayed areas on the trunk or main limbs, or mushrooms growing from the bark that indicate a decayed and weakened stem.
• Peeling bark or gaping wounds in the trunk, also indicates structural weakness.
• Fallen or uprooted trees putting pressure on other trees beneath them.
• Tight, V-shaped forks which are much more prone to failure than open, U-shaped ones.
• Heaving soil at the tree base is an indicator of a potentially unsound root system.

Remember, too, that a tree is a living thing, and its integrity and stability changes over time. Don’t assume that a tree that has survived 10 severe storms will necessarily survive an eleventh.

Cabling and bracing techniques can be used to provide additional structural strength for individual limbs, or even entire trees.

Stephen Koelewyn - NSW Builders Licence 45109c   -   Building Consultant Licence BC213  -   Pest Control Licence 2025

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Last modified: Monday, 20 October 2008

AUSINSPECT is well equipped to carry out specialised building works, termite treatments, termite nest location, termite nest eradication, effective repairs to buildings and property. We own our own machinery and truck for efficient, cost effective undertaking of works, our specialty is the repair of termite damaged and decayed structures.