HOUSTON \u2013 Hurricane season is less than two weeks away, and one of the biggest threats to your home might already be standing in your backyard.<\/p>\n
KPRC 2 spoke with Brad Phillips, an ISA Certified Master Arborist with 26 years of experience \u2014 the highest credential in the field \u2014 to talk about what homeowners should be looking for right now, before the storms arrive.<\/p>\n
His advice? Don\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo out and inspect your trees \u2014 look at your branches, leaves, trunks, and roots. Start from the top and work your way down. Look for anything unusual. You can even take photos. Many arborists can do initial inspections from photographs,\u201d Phillips said.<\/p>\n
If your tree is starting to lean \u2014 or you notice it really sways when the wind picks up \u2014 Phillips says that\u2019s your cue to call a professional. He recommends having a certified arborist take a look at least once a year.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t make this common trimming mistake<\/p>\n
A lot of homeowners think thinning out their trees before a storm is the smart move. Phillips says it\u2019s actually one of the worst things you can do.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the most important things to understand about pruning trees is that trees do not need to be thinned. That just allows the wind to whip through the canopy at full force and speed,\u201d Phillips said, \u201ccausing limb failure and breakage to occur at an even higher rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
He explains that trees are built to handle wind \u2014 but only when their canopy is intact.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrees have evolved to be thick and to have heavy crowns where they\u2019re dense. The wind then pushes against the tree, and the tree absorbs that shock as a full organism,\u201d Phillips said.<\/p>\n
And if you\u2019re thinking about hiring just anyone to do the work, Phillips also has a warning.<\/p>\n
Something as simple as using climbing spikes \u2014 which untrained workers commonly use \u2014 can cause serious, lasting damage to a tree.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you were taking a tree care class on day one, they would tell you never, ever, ever climb a tree with spikes unless you\u2019re cutting it down,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cThose spikes significantly damage the tree. The most important part is immediately underneath the bark. That\u2019s where the vascular tissue is \u2014 the veins and arteries of the tree. So that would be very similar to piercing your own skin with a dirty object. Obviously, the risk of infection is significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
What about your neighbor\u2019s tree?<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re eyeing a tree on your neighbor\u2019s property and wondering who\u2019s responsible if it falls, the answer depends on the condition of that tree.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenerally speaking, the failure of a tree is going to be an act of God event, and nobody is going to be liable for it,\u201d Phillips said.<\/p>\n
But that changes if the tree shows obvious signs of decline \u2014 rot, falling bark, dead branches \u2014 and neighbors have already raised concerns about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are the person with that dead tree and your neighbors are talking to you about it, you\u2019re stepping into liability territory,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cI typically suggest people get things in writing as much as possible. Obviously, nobody wants to approach their neighbor with a certified letter at the first conversation. It\u2019s always best to have a conversation first, but it is also very important to follow up those conversations if needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The biggest mistake Houston homeowners make<\/p>\n
Phillips says the single most common mistake he sees every year is simple: people wait too long.<\/p>\n
By the time a hurricane is already spinning in the Gulf, every tree crew in town is booked solid \u2014 and there\u2019s nothing left to do but hope for the best.<\/p>\n
The time to act, he says, is right now.<\/p>\n
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