Stately trees add value to your home and reduce your heating and cooling costs. However, storms, age, and disease can also turn them into a liability.

Here are tree maintenance tips that protect your home and save you money.

Arborists Insure You’re Ready For The Season

An arborist can assess your trees before a storm season hits, whether it’s tornadoes of summer or cold and ice of winter. Here is a list of Certified Wisconsin Arborists.

Inspect After Every Storm

After any major weather event, check for damage to your trees. Look for broken or bent branches. If a branch is small and you can easily reach it, you might remove it yourself. If not, call an expert to avoid further damage to the tree or hurting yourself.

Watch Growth of Branches

Branches become a hazard when they’ve grown large and overhang your roof. Determine whether the branch should be removed, trimmed back in size, or supported with cables. An arborist can help you figure what’s best.

Monitor Their Health

Trees in poor health can become problematic and cause damage to your home. Here in Wisconsin, many of our beautiful ash trees have fallen prey to the emerald ash borer. Regularly examine your trees for dead or broken branches. Also, look for signs of infestation, such as crawling, flying or boring insects, mold, leaves falling out of season, or critters chewing on the leaves or trunk.

Plant Wisely

Research the tree specie before planting and verify that it grows well in your area. Know the mature size of the tree. Plant the tree at a greater distance from your home than the spread of its branches at maturity.

Questions About Trees and Your Home?

Contact your agent for further information on how your trees affect your home. Or call Forward Mutual at 920-261-6616.