Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Arlington Heights?
- 2 Does the City of Arlington Heights Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Arlington Heights?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Arlington Heights?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Arlington Heights?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Arlington Heights?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Arlington Heights?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Arlington Heights?
The two most common problems here are seen throughout the entire state. The Emerald Ash Borer and Dutch Elm disease are the two most serious issues you’ll find in Arlington Heights. Both of these problems are brought on by insects.
Dutch Elm disease comes from the Elm Bark Beetle, which infects the American Elm trees in our area. These beetles bring a fungus that can spread quickly and easily to other trees surrounding it. The signs you’ll often see in an infested tree are that leaves near the top will turn brown or yellow, wilt, and then fall off the tree. You might even notice some brown streaking start to emerge on some of the branches.
The Emerald Ash Borer is another insect infestation that can be seen throughout the US but often occurs in the Midwestern states. These insects will burrow into the tree and the larvae that emerge from the eggs the adult female lays will feed on the material underneath the bark of the tree. Over time, they’ll damage the route that transports nutrients from the soil to the leaves, thereby cutting them off from the food supply the tree’s foliage needs to survive.
Does the City of Arlington Heights Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
It’s frustrating to have to deal with a fallen tree in your yard, especially if it hits a structure on your lot. The city doesn’t typically handle the situation, except on a rare occasion. If the tree, regardless of who owns it, falls over onto part of your yard and part on the city sidewalk/street area, the city will come and handle the portion that resides on the city property. The rest of the tree that resides on your lot will usually be left there for you to handle. If it hits a structure in your yard, your insurance will generally cover the damages and maybe some of the tree removals.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Arlington Heights?
If you’re a homeowner?
For trees that are located on your lot, you’re responsible for taking care of any trimming that’s needed or offering treatments for diseased trees. You’ll want to work towards preventing it from falling over in a severe storm and damaging other properties, if possible. For those that fall over onto your own home, your first step would be to contact the electrical company if a power line is involved.
Otherwise, you should check with your insurance to see what exactly is covered in your personal policy. Most companies will cover most of the damages, minus any deductibles that you might have on your policy. As far as the tree removal, though, they may pay a portion of that. It depends on what you paid for coverage on the home.
If you’re a renter?
The trees that are located on the lot you rent out are the responsibility of the landlord of the property. They are to make sure trees are trimmed and are in good shape to prevent them from falling over and damaging any property, whether it be in their yard or a neighbor’s. Sometimes even the healthiest of trees can succumb to high winds and fall over.
If the tree falls onto the house you’re renting out, the landlord’s insurance company should pay for the damages done to the structure of the home. For your personal items, though, they won’t be covered, so be sure you have renter’s insurance to cover your own items, should something happen. If it’s your vehicle, check with your car insurance company because they might help out with the damages, provided you have a collision on your policy.
If you’re a landlord?
As a landlord, you need to be sure the rental property is in good shape. That includes all the trees on the lot. Keep them trimmed and disease-free if possible. This will help prevent any damages that could happen to other properties if the tree branches break off and fall onto other lots, not to mention the home you rented out.
Should the tree fall onto the home, contact your insurance company. Depending on the specifics of the policy, they’re more than likely going to pay for most, if not all of it. They might even pay for the tree removal, so check with them to see. Otherwise, you would be responsible.
If you’re a neighbor?
If one of your neighbor’s trees is a hazard and you’re concerned that it might get knocked over in a big storm, you should discuss the situation with them. If they don’t comply and do anything to address the problem, you can check with a lawyer to see if you have a case. In many instances, you would more than likely win, but you would need expert advice on the condition of the tree to show a judge.
If a healthy tree falls over onto your home, your insurance will take care of the damages to the house, and they might handle the tree removal as well. You may have to pay a deductible, though. If the tree falls over onto your yard but doesn’t cause any damage, you can try discussing it with your neighbor, otherwise, you’re responsible for removing it since it’s on your lot.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Arlington Heights?
While the soils in this area are considered loamy, which is perfect for plant life, it’s not all good for growing trees. In the areas where it’s been manipulated by construction, it’s lost much of its nutrients, which can be hard on trees that thrive on them. There are some areas that either haven’t been touched by construction or haven’t been altered much by the digging.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Arlington Heights?
Arlington Heights has seen its share of horrific storms that brought upwards of 80 mph winds. No tree, whether diseased or healthy, is immune to that kind of force, so many trees get uprooted and fall over onto homes, garages, and city streets. The trees that remain standing often lose a limb or several branches that fall onto structures and cars, causing tons of damage.
In the wintertime, we see snowy conditions off and on throughout the season. While most of it doesn’t affect the trees much, there are times where it can be rough on our tree population. Sometimes, heavy snow pounds our area and the extra weight on the tree branches tends to break them off. The areas where the limb is ripped off make the tree vulnerable to insect and fungal infestations.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Arlington Heights?
For trees that need to be removed and are near power lines, a professional should handle the job, because it’s an extremely dangerous situation. A tree on city property will be removed by the Arlington Heights city department, but the ones on your property could be a different story. A good rule of thumb is to call the city to let them know what you want to do and inquire how you should go about the job.
They typically will evaluate the situation first. If it’s not an imminent danger to the power line, they may recommend you call a tree service, like us, to handle the job. Otherwise, the electric company usually handles the trimming of branches that are growing too close to the electrical lines.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Arlington Heights?
Many factors go into the price of removing trees or trimming branches. Average prices for removing a small tree could cost you around $100 to $400. Large trees will be quite a bit more. You can expect to pay approximately $700 to $1,900 or more for massive trees. But to get to the final costs, here are a few factors to keep in mind that could drive the price higher.
Are You Trimming or Removing a Whole Tree?
Trimming services will be cheaper than removing a whole tree, at least in most cases. However, there may be times when there are too many dead branches or too many limbs in precarious spots, that it might be a better idea to just remove the whole tree instead. Professionals, like us, can offer advice on what’s best for the situation, and leave the ball in your court to decide what you want to do.
How Easy Is It to Access the Tree?
Trimming or removing a tree that’s out in the open will be so much easier to deal with than one that’s too close to a structure or near a power line. A tree that’s not as easy to access is going to need special precautions to trim or remove. Safety is important, so more time will be needed to take care of the tree without damaging anything else on the property.
How Far Do You Plan to Go With the Project?
Along with tree removal, there are other services we offer which will cost more money. Tree stump removal would be one of them. Most people leave the stump where it is and only pay for the rest of the tree to be removed. While that’s perfectly acceptable, it’s not always recommended. You might want to use the space where the stump is, so getting it ground down to get it out of your way might be worth the extra money.
Proper care and maintenance include trimming, treatment, and removal of the diseased trees. To make sure the trimming doesn’t harm the tree or the removal of a diseased one doesn’t hurt any other trees on the lot, call professionals, like us, who know our job well. We can get the project done safely so your remaining trees will stay as healthy as possible for a long time to come.