Some homeowners never trim their own trees and always rely on professionals to do it for them. This approach is totally okay. However, if you're handy, you should be capable of doing some basic trimming yourself. You can remove the occasional dead branch or damaged branch, for example. But there are still situations in which you should leave tree trimming to the professionals. Here are some of those situations:

You Think the Tree Is Diseased

It's wise to learn the most common symptoms of disease in trees. They include blotches or spots on the leaves and branches, the appearance of brackets on the tree's trunk or roots, and cankers or sores on the bark. If you think your tree is diseased, hire a professional to trim it. They can better determine which branches are healthy enough to leave in place, and which ones need to be removed. They also tend to be well-versed in sanitation techniques to ensure they don't spread the disease from tree to tree, or from branch to branch.

The Tree Has a Major Cracked Limb or Branch

If the tree has a big branch or limb that is cracked and looks like it might fall off, have a tree trimmer come work on it. That branch will need to be trimmed carefully and methodically in order to prevent injuries. The tree care experts may be able to remove some branches, reduce the weight that the limb is supporting, and then brace the limb to prevent it from cracking any further. Or, they may determine that the big limb needs to be removed for safety reasons.

The Tree Is Growing Into or Close to Power Lines or a Structure

If your tree is growing over your roof, is near power lines, or is about to collide with some other structure, have a professional trim it. They have techniques they can use to prevent branches from falling on these structures. They can often coordinate with the power company, if needed, and they may even have roofing contractors they collaborate with if the tree has caused any roof damage.

Even if you trim the occasional branch off your own tree, it's important to know when to call in the professionals instead. If your tree looks diseased, has a cracked limb, or is growing into something, give your local tree trimming company a call. They can give you a quote, and you can go from there. Reach out to a tree pruning service near you to learn more.

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