Storm damage/Fallen Tree Removal
High winds and heavy downpours brutally lash down across Scotland every year. In fact, Scotland is the windiest country in Europe, and although dubbed the Windy City, Edinburgh gets off it quite lightly vs the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland which have over a month of gale-force winds each year.
Even if East Lothian and Edinburgh have a milder time, high winds, ice and snow all put a lot of pressure on trees, which can come down in spectacular fashion. At home or in the public, attempting to tackle a storm damaged tree can be very dangerous.
At Ali Wales Tree Solutions all our tree surgeons are trained to a specific protocol when dealing with storm damaged trees as written out in British Standard BS3998: 2010 for Tree Work.
Damage from fallen trees due to stormy weather is somewhat preventable, and did you know in circumstances you may be held liable? In most circumstances, you can preempt a tree falling due to wind and bad weather.
Is your tree at risk of being damaged by a storm?
Here’s what to check…
Significant Lean
A significant lean to one side suggests severe damage to the tree’s anchor roots. Tree removal will be necessary if posing a threat to property or the public.
Cracked Soil/Exposed Roots
If you see cracked soil or exposed roots around the base of the tree that’s a sign that the tree’s roots are moving more than they should be. Ultimately, this means the tree’s root system is failing to substantially hold its own weight.
Mushroom/Fungus on the Base
Fungus on the base of the tree often indicates that the tree has dying or dead roots which over time will be unable to support the tree.
Cracking
As you might expect, deep cracks or splits in the tree indicate weak points that may sheer under pressure.
Preventing trees falling in high wind
Pruning
Pruning trees helps remove weak or diseased branches that can fail under gale-force wind.
Water the base
Slow watering of roots promotes deep growth in the tree root system, this is especially important for young tree development.
Protect from sunscald
During sunny winter months, trees can wake out dormancy, only to be shocked at nightfall. This can cause cell damage and can accelerate the risk of fallen trees from high winds. Loosely wrapping chicken wire around the base in winter (removed in spring) can lessen the effects of temperature fluctuation.
Customer testimonials
Three trees shortened in height quickly, and tidily. Couldn’t have been easier to deal with, and the bill even came down with slightly less work than anticipated! Highly recommended.
Ali did a great job of trimming our tree. He was really friendly and helpful, arrived on time and cleared everything away afterwards, what more could you want? Highly recommended!
Very reliable, hard-working contractor. Felled and removed a large tree for me. Also returned and cleared excess branches on 2 large trees. Highly recommended.
Do you have a fallen tree caused by storm damage or have a tree at risk?
Call us 07738 854240
Choosing a tree surgeon in Edinburgh & East Lothian
While we operate across Scotland, sometimes we get calls we just can’t reach in the given time period and often ask ‘how do I find the best tree surgeon near me?’ While we can’t help you find the best tree surgeon, we can certainly give you points to look out for.
