Dead and leaning tree removal in Tuscaloosa
A tree doesn't have to fall to be a problem. Here's how to spot a risky one and what taking it down involves.
A hazard tree is one that's likely to fail and has something to land on: a roof, a car, a fence, a play set or the street. These jobs take more planning than an ordinary removal, because a dead or rotting tree can't be trusted to hold a climber or a rope the way a sound one can.
Signs a tree may be a hazard
- Mushrooms, shelf fungus or crumbly wood at the base or on exposed roots
- Bare branches at the top of the crown while lower limbs still have leaves
- A lean that's new or getting worse, with soil heaving on the far side
- A crack where two main trunks meet, or bark falling away in sheets
- Pine needles fading from green to yellow to red or brown
- Roots cut by a driveway, sewer line or foundation work near the trunk
Beetle-killed pines
Alabama Extension's guide to bark beetles lists the signs: popcorn-like pitch tubes on the bark, fine reddish boring dust in bark crevices or at the base, and needles that turn yellow, then red, then brown. With southern pine beetle, the color change often starts at the top of the tree. Black turpentine beetle leaves larger pitch tubes, more than an inch across, low on the trunk. The guide's advice is to remove infested trees quickly, because cutting, chipping or debarking them helps stop the spread to the pines around them.
Why waiting makes it harder
A pine that's been dead for a year or two gets brittle and starts dropping limbs and bark. It becomes harder for a climber to trust, which can push the job toward a bucket truck or crane. Taking a dead tree down on a calm day is safer, and usually simpler, than cleaning it off the roof after the next storm.
Leaning trees
A tree that has always leaned and has a solid root plate is often fine. A lean that showed up after a storm, especially with lifted soil or torn roots on one side, is a warning sign. Hillside lots north of the river and around the lake make leans more common, and more serious when there's a house downhill.
How are these trees taken down?
Crews often avoid climbing a badly decayed tree and work from a bucket truck, or bring in a crane. They may widen the work zone and take the tree in smaller pieces. If the yard is too steep or soft for a truck, they may need to rig the tree from a neighboring sound tree instead.
The tree company sets the price after it sees the tree, what's under it and how a bucket truck, crane or grinder can get to it. We don't quote prices, and a number given over the phone before anyone has looked at the tree is a rough starting point at best.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can a pine with beetles be saved?
Usually not once it shows heavy symptoms. Alabama Extension recommends removing infested trees quickly so the beetles don't spread to nearby pines.
Who can tell me whether a tree is dangerous?
An ISA Certified Arborist can assess it. Many tree services have one on staff, or you can hire one separately for a second opinion.
Related services
More background: Tuscaloosa tree removal guide.
Oak limb over the roof, a pine snapped in the last storm, or a stump you keep mowing around?
Call and get connected with a tree company that works Tuscaloosa and Northport.