AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Talladega, AL

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Talladega?

Talladega is a small town in eastern Alabama that is located on the edge of the Talladega National Forest. Visitors flock to Talladega National Forest to enjoy the many opportunities for recreation and wildlife observation that it affords. Hiking, camping, and mountain biking are all favorite pastimes in this recreational wonderland. What’s more, animal lovers can enjoy the possibility of encountering rare species, including the gopher tortoise and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

The Talladega National Forest is part of a vast area of land that was reclaimed from the timber industry in the early 20th century. It is densely populated with various types of pine trees. Pine trees are also prevalent in the town of Talladega itself.

Unfortunately, pine trees in the Southeast in recent years have been subject to the harms caused by an insect known as the Southern pine bark beetle. Southern pine bark beetles attack nearly all species of pines in the southern United States to one degree or another. The Alabama Forestry Commission notes, in fact, that these insects “cause more damage to southern pine timber than any other forest insect in Alabama. On average, the state loses 60,000 pine trees a year during a southern pine bark beetle outbreak that totals approximately $800,000 in economic loss.”

These insects are particularly likely to attack trees that have been weakened by flooding, windstorms, or drought. Symptoms that can indicate the presence of the southern pine bark beetle in a tree include the yellowing or browning of needles, along with a collection of pitch tubes on the trunk. In some cases, an observer will also notice the presence of reddish-brown boring dust.

Should you find yourself with a tree that has been damaged by this pesky insect, you may need to consider whether it is time to remove the tree. If so, feel free to reach out to Tree Triage anytime. We’d be glad to assist.

Does the City of Talladega Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

The City of Talladega Community Appearance Department is responsible for removing trees on public property when they have become damaged or have died. It is also responsible for clearing fallen trees from along a city right of way after storms. In addition, the Community Appearance Department will trim trees on public property as part of its landscaping and groundskeeping work.

When it comes to dealing with trees on private property, however, the city leaves the responsibility to the property owner. It does not offer homeowners any particular assistance in tree removal.

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Talladega?

A general principle in issues related to trees is that a tree is yours to deal with if it is on your property. As a result, if your tree were to fall over due to disease or storm damage, you would be responsible, as the landowner, for having it removed. Of course, life is never quite as simple as we would like it to be, so there may be other factors to consider when it comes to tree responsibility. Homeowners, renters, and neighbors may all have different views of the subject.

If you’re a homeowner?

As mentioned above, homeowners can generally expect that if a tree on your property falls over, you will be responsible for paying for its removal. Nevertheless, it never hurts to check your homeowners policy to see whether it might assist with your costs in that regard. Many insurance companies cover at least part of the costs of tree removal, particularly if your house has been damaged, although you would also want to consider things like deductibles before deciding whether to take advantage of any insurance assistance.

If you’re a renter?

Renters in Talladega should not expect to bear the cost of removing any fallen trees at their home. That is the responsibility of the landlord, since he or she is the property owner. Should you see an issue with a tree on the property where you are renting, it would be best to contact your landlord as soon as possible so that they can take care of the problem.

If you’re a landlord?

Because they are the property owner, a landlord will be expected to pay for the removal costs of any tree rooted on his or her property that has become diseased or has died. If you are aware of a hazard posed by a tree and fail to remove it, you could be considered liable for any damages that it ends up causing.

If you’re a neighbor?

Issues around neighbors are where things can get most complicated. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

If your neighbor’s tree has branches extending into your property, under Alabama law, you may trim the branches up to the property line but no farther. If the tree trunk is on your neighbor’s property, then legally the tree belongs to them and you cannot remove it.

If your neighbor has a tree that you believe to be a hazard because it appears to be diseased, dying, or dead, you should notify your neighbor in writing as soon as possible. While you cannot force the neighbor to remove the tree, document that you have notified them of your concern. If the tree does end up causing damage to your property after they have been notified, it is possible that they could be considered negligent.

If you are interested in removing a tree on a property line that divides your property from your neighbor’s, you can only do so with the consent of both parties. It would be advisable to get this consent in writing before proceeding.

In all cases, your best bet is to communicate politely with your neighbor regarding any tree issues. A simple conversation is often the best way to deal with issues before they end up escalating.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Talladega?

The soil in Talladega is fairly well-drained, consisting of a top layer of loam, with a sublayer of slaty silty clay loam. Loam is generally a beneficial type of soil for growing vegetation, due to its ability to drain well while still providing sufficient nutrients. The loam soil around Talladega has proven quite beneficial for the growth of a variety of hardwoods and most notably a variety of pine trees.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Talladega?

In addition to the above tree diseases, residents of Talladega also have to contend with severe storms with some regularity, particularly during the spring and summer. These storms have even been known to produce tornadoes. Talladega finds itself, in fact, right in the center of the region that has come to be known as Dixie Alley—the Tornado Alley of the South. Wind and flooding associated with severe storms can also damage trees or cause them to fall onto power lines and homes, creating another type of hazard for Talladega residents.

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Talladega?

If you should see dead trees near power lines in Talladega, you are advised to contact one of the utility companies serving the city—either Alabama Power or Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative.

Alabama Power conducts regularly scheduled tree trimming activity around power lines in order to lessen the hazards posed by the trees during storms. They highly encourage residents not to attempt to trim trees near power lines themselves. As they remind their customers, “Pruning trees around power lines should only be attempted by qualified professionals. Serious injuries, and even fatalities, have occurred when unqualified individuals perform this type of work without the assistance of qualified professionals. As stated in the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) standards and ANSI Z133, an unqualified person should not work within 10 feet of overhead power lines with voltages below 50,000 volts. The distance increases with voltage for all voltages equal to or higher than 50,000 volts”.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Talladega?

As with many costs associated with homeownership, tree removal can be pricey. In Talladega, the average cost to remove a tree is $668, although of course many factors can make this either more or less expensive. A typical range for tree removal cost in Talladega is anywhere from $190 to $2,070. While this may seem like more than you’d like to pay, the alternative could be even worse. Dying trees have the potential to fall on your home or someone else’s, and in the worst cases, could end up injuring other people. In these cases, you could be on the hook for much greater, more unpleasant costs. It’s always best to deal with such problems before they create larger ones.

Accessibility

If we need to spend extra time or use extra technology to reach the tree in question, it will of course end up costing the customer more. After all, time is money! If a tree that you want removed is already on the ground in an easily accessible spot (near the road, for example), you are much more likely to end up with a lower bill than if your tree is up a steep hill behind your home, or if our arborist has to work around many other trees in trying to remove the one you’ve called about.

Size

In the case of tree removal, it’s not necessarily true that bigger is better. The more work it is to remove a tree, the more it is going to cost the homeowner. Thus, if you have a large tree removed, make sure that you budget accordingly.

Others

Some other factors that may contribute to increased costs include:

• Active power lines around the tree
• You have made an emergency, after-hours request
• Heavy equipment is required

Now here are some things that might decrease the price:

• The tree turns out to be smaller than anticipated
• You have provided a good deal of advanced notice to our team
• The tree is easy to access
• No heavy equipment is required.