Unfortunately, as trees age, they can also become less structurally sound and more prone to damage and disease, which makes them more likely to cause destruction to your property and injury to those on the ground. For both safety and aesthetic reasons, old tree removal should be a priority if there is no hope of saving it. Below, discover a few ways to tell if you need tree removal services.

How to Tell If You Need to Remove an Old Tree

1. Shortage of Leaves

Many trees shed their leaves in fall and sprout fresh ones come spring. But if your old tree has large bare patches where no leaves have grown, or the entire entity is without leaves, it may be time to remove it. 

Contact a tree care service to assess the situation. If leaf loss is spotty or isolated, you may still have options for saving the tree, but if it's more widespread, it's likely dying and should be removed before it causes damage or injury.

2. Excess of Dead Branches

Branches occasionally break off, especially during or immediately after extreme weather events. But when an old tree is dominated by dead branches, it is a clear indicator that the internal system of the tree is struggling to provide the necessary nutrients.

 Look for large, dead branches, especially in the crown of the tree. If more than 50 percent of the tree is comprised of dead branches, the best solution is to remove it.

3. Damaged Bark

The condition of the bark can tell you a lot about the health of an old tree. Just as human skin ages, so too does bark, often growing rougher and tougher as the years go by. So, if you notice the bark starting to fail and fall off, it can be a red flag that the tree is dying and needs prompt removal. 

Bark can peel off and leave behind cankers, deep gouges, splits, and deformities that threaten the strength of the tree. Cankers are typically caused by fungi, bacterial infections, or mechanical injuries.

If you spot any of these signs on your old tree, contact Wake Tree Service for a full assessment. They provide comprehensive tree care services to the Winston-Salem, NC, area. Their services include tree removal, trimming, pruning, and stump grinding. They are available 24/7 for emergency calls, and their arborists are experienced, licensed tree specialists. Call (336) 749-3900 or visit them online to schedule a tree removal or request a quote.