Having trees inspected around a home you are purchasing is an often overlooked part of the home buying process. A single tree can add two percent to a homes value, despite this fact they are forgotten about in the home inspection process. A beautiful tree can be a selling point when buying a house so when making such an investment it makes sense to have your trees evaluated by a professional.

All to often a homeowner calls us in the spring and the front yard tree they loved when they bought the house in the fall turned out to be dead. Another homeowner we worked with bought the property because of all of the beuatiful trees but when I saw them it was clear they had never been taken care of. At this same property there is a large silver maple over the back deck and the large branch going over the house has a rotten cavity at the base. These are things that within seconds of looking at the tree I would have recognized.

Another home buyer called me a few weeks ago and they were concerned about the large cottonwoods that towered over the house they were under contract on. I found that one of the trees had holes on either side of the base that I could fit my three foot probe into completely from either side (photos below). Two of the other trees had old scars running down the sides that were consistent with lightning damage. One of the trees that had been struck had a massive twenty foot cavity running the length of the trunk and the large single remaining branch leaned directly over the neighbors house. Although trees may not always have issues this major it is always better to know about the before you buy the house.

Trees need to be assessed for both health and risk. Colorado has nearly no native tree species in high plains area. Between harsh weather, bad soil, and semi arid climate trees have a hard time here.

Trees do not always do well in Colorado and I am familiar with all of the different issues of every species that grows here. I will share with you all pertinent knowledge about the trees around the property and how to take care of them. If there is an ash tree I can explain emerald ash borer discuss treatment options. I will explain how Autumn blaze maples and green ashes need regular pruning or else they will be severely damaged by wind and snow. If I see a large silver maple or cottonwood I will explain how these trees are prone to rot and will sometimes drop massive branches or how some species of cottonwood get extremely large and die after about thirty years. If there are newly planted trees I will explain how the majority of the trees I see planted are done improperly and how those issues can be remedied. I will make sure you go into owning this new property knowing everything you will need to ensure the health and longevity of your trees.

In terms of tree risk assessment risk is defined as the combination of the likelihood of an event and the severity of its consequences. If a tree is in bad shape and it is likely to fail in the next gust of wind but

it is in the middle of a field there would be little risk associated with retaining it. If the same tree was over a elementary school playground it would be considered very high risk. When I perform a risk assessment I take all of my knowledge of the patterns of failure of each species and determine what the consequences would be if branches or the entire tree were to fail. As a tree risk assessor it is my job to inform you of the hazards a tree poses and I can recommend steps that can be taken to mitigate that risk. I can let you know your options but the ultimate decision on what level of risk is reasonable comes down to the owner of the tree.

Contact me today and setup a time for me to stop by and take a look at your trees. I will teach you everything you need to know to about maintaining the health of your trees.