AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Indianapolis, IN

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Indianapolis?

Trees are incredibly complex yet vital parts of our environment and ecosystem. Some trees provide us with food; but all trees provide us with shade, beauty, and even oxygen. However, the trees in Indianapolis are quite fragile and can be impacted by a wide variety of pests that could cause them to die and/or become a hazard to human life. 

One factor that comes after the trees in Indianapolis is insects. Over time, insects can take so much away from the tree that it simply dies. Aphids are a type of insect known to ravage the trees in the Indianapolis area. You have likely come across one without even realizing what it was. They are slender little creatures with thin bodies that are typically green and appear almost transparent. The scary thing about aphids is that they stick their mouths into a tree to suck fluids out, for their own usage. Get enough aphids together on an individual tree and they can quickly destroy the life from that tree.

Aphids and other tree-killing insects such as fall webworms, lace bugs, and spider mites are all concerns for tree life in Indianapolis, but they are not the only topic that keeps dendrologists up at night. Disease is another big concern for trees in the area. Hawthorn rust is one example. It is a disease that causes leaves to fall off before they are supposed to. Leaves are a primary indicator of the health of the tree itself, and it is bad news if they begin falling off long before they are supposed to, in the fall. Other examples of tree diseases that plague the trees in Indianapolis include powdery mildew, needle cast, and dieback. It takes a real expert in the subject to identify any of these, but they are all points of concern for people living near Indianapolis.

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

When a tree dies or needs to be removed for any reason, it is time to call in people who know how to handle this kind of thing. Your first instinct might be to try to call the City of Indianapolis to see if they have anyone available to help. However, the city of Indianapolis only removes trees that fall on public property.

Our professionals in Tree Triage are more than happy to help with all of your private tree removal needs in Indianapolis. We advise you to get in touch with us so we can discuss possible solutions to your tree removal problems and provide you with a quote for the work required. If required, we can also send one of our professionals over to inspect your property to more accurately determine what work needs to be done.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Indianapolis?

If you’re a homeowner? 

The primary responsibility for maintaining and removing trees falls on the owner of the property where the tree’s trunk is on. Simply put, if the tree roots from your property, you are responsible for it. The University of Tennessee released a packet of information about the rights and responsibilities of tree owners, as well as definitions of ownership of the trees. These rules and definitions have also been tried in courts in Indianapolis, and they apply here as well. They say that the homeowner is responsible for the tree if it is rooted on the property. It doesn’t matter if you personally planted the tree or if some previous property owner did. As long as the tree is on your property now, it is your responsibility.

If you’re a renter? 

Know your rights and use them if you are a renter. You will most likely not need to do anything about a dead or dying tree on the property that you rent, but you might find yourself in the midst of a dispute with a neighbor if you allow a dead tree to slip over onto their property. People don’t like that, and there could be a dispute there. You should defer all decisions about the removal of the tree to your landlord, as they are ultimately responsible, and because they are the lawful owner of the tree.

If you’re a landlord? 

The landlord of the property is typically the owner of the property, but that is not always the case. Some landlords are simply managers who work for the property owner. In that scenario, it is a little trickier to figure out exactly who should take responsibility for tree removal. Ultimately, the property owner is still responsible, but they may delegate that responsibility to the landlord as part of their routine job responsibilities. However, the property owner will be responsible for the costs.

If you’re a neighbor?

Neighbors can be impacted by a tree falling down if it falls into their property. They are not responsible for tree removal simply because the tree happened to fall on their property. The responsibility still defaults back to the homeowner of the property where the tree is rooted. Downed trees on neighbor’s properties should be handled as quickly as possible, to avoid causing any additional disruption to the lives of people impacted by them. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Indianapolis?

There is an entire department of the USDA dedicated specifically to testing the quality of soil and producing reports on it. They have a local division in Indianapolis to examine the soil in that large metropolitan area. 

Clay soil is the dominant type of soil in Indianapolis and throughout the state of Indiana. It is highly prized as an amazing substance for farming and growing a variety of types of life that people can use for survival. Trees grow well in clay soil, and this is why the biodiversity of Indianapolis is something that other cities tend to envy. 

The soil throughout Indianapolis tends to be of high quality, but it is possible for trees to still get diseases or insect infestations, and die. The only good news is that the soil is indeed working in the favor of people living in this area.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Indianapolis?

Indianapolis sees approximately 122 days with some form of precipitation in its forecast. It also has an above-average 42.4 inches of rainfall per year, approximately 10 to 30% more rainfall than the average city or town in the country. That makes for some sloppy conditions at times, and it can certainly be harmful to the trees and wildlife in the area. 

Trees need water to sustain their own life, but they don’t need to be oversaturated in it. Too much water can kill off trees, and that does happen in Indianapolis sometimes. Those kinds of conditions are also highly attractive to certain insects that cause harm to trees as well. Combine the two and you can see that the weather in Indianapolis is less than ideal for trees to remain safe and healthy. Despite this, the trees do find a way to survive in the area. Certain seasons of the year can be very busy for tree removal services, clearing out dead trees as a result of the weather. 

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Indianapolis?

Dead trees and power lines do not mix. Unfortunately, there are often trees near power lines, and when the trees fall, they can take out a power line or two with them. This is potentially dangerous both to people in the immediate area (near the tree, as it falls), and to the customers that rely on those power lines to give them electricity. Trees often fall in the winter months due to heavy snowfalls weighing on them. If that tree then snaps a power line on its way down, then some customers could lose access to the power they need to heat their homes, just as the weather is reaching its worst.

There is a National Electrical Safety Code that requires utility companies to make sure that all trees near their power lines are properly pruned and trimmed, to lessen the chance that a power line will be taken out by a tree. This is good news because it means that the burden of this work falls squarely on the shoulders of the utility companies. However, property owners might want to ensure that they stay on top of this and communicate with the utility company, just to make sure they abide by their side of the deal and get this taken care of immediately. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Indianapolis?

Job Requested 

Tree removal is not a blanket service that someone can request. There are many nuances involved. Different types of jobs have different estimated price tags. Removal of a fallen tree ranges from about $75 to $150 in most cases, but the cost of a large tree removal (a tree that is still standing and alive) can be well over $1,000. The jobs require different tools, training, and knowledge, and the price ranges reflect that fact. 

Urgency of Request

A tree that poses an immediate danger may require urgent removal, regardless of the time of day or day of the week. Those emergency requests are generally more expensive than a typical job request as they require the tree removal company to drop everything and attend to this service immediately. 

Size and Shape of Tree 

Finally, the size and shape of the tree are highly important to the cost of getting it removed. Larger trees with a thick diameter are among the most expensive removal jobs at somewhere between $1,500 to $2,000, whereas thinner trees that are already dead on the ground only cost $50 to $200 for removal. As a general rule, just consider the level of work necessary to get the job done cleanly, and that should provide a roadmap as to how much it might cost.