Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Chapel Hill?
- 2 Does the City of Chapel Hill Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Chapel Hill?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Chapel Hill?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health In Chapel Hill?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Chapel Hill?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Chapel Hill?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Chapel Hill?
As with many areas of North Carolina, your trees are always trying to keep out diseases and pests and trying to cope with varied water, such as a drought period. Luckily, Chapel Hill rarely experiences drought conditions, so your trees aren’t likely to suffer from that tree issue unless you plant a tree that is not suitable to Tree Hardiness Zone 7.
The various trees popular to the North Carolina Piedmont area often have associated pests, from red maple trees getting gloomy scales to Crepe myrtle trees infested with Japanese beetles and aphids. Ash trees have recently been devastated around the country but specifically here in Chatham County by Emerald Ash Borer insects which can eat the tree’s vital tissues under the bark and kill the tree.
For years, North Carolina communities have been attempting to control the growth of cankerworm populations using a sticky substance that catches and kills the cankerworms. They can be a defoliation risk if not managed, and trees that are already in distress for other reasons may be at more risk from cankerworm defoliation than a healthy tree.
Does the City of Chapel Hill Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The town of Chapel Hill has developed tree protection ordinances, with some review processes for adding trees to public property. If a tree is hazardous near your property but on a town-maintained street or utility easement, you may be able to request that it be pruned or removed. However, their owners should maintain most tree removal on private property with routine pruning “consistent with arboricultural standards,” as well as tree removal that was determined as beyond treatment or recovery by a certified arborist like Tree Triage.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Chapel Hill?
When a tree first falls in your area, you reasonably should focus on the emergency concerns: is anyone hurt, has the tree damaged any items that require immediate attention, etc. Once you’ve verified that the scene is safe, it’s natural to start considering who will be responsible for the costs associated with removing the fallen tree.
If You’re a Homeowner?
You are likely to be responsible for fallen tree removal on your property; it’s no fun that this is the answer, but there is hope. If the damages and costs of disposal are significant enough, it can make sense to claim through your homeowner’s insurance. You’ll consider the estimated cost, the conditions of your insurance policy, and your deductible to make sure that it is a wise choice to file through insurance rather than paying out of pocket.
If You’re a Renter?
The NC Disaster Information Center offers some valuable guidance for where tree fall liability lands, but the renter should not be responsible in pretty much every case. If your landlord has neglected to maintain the tree, you may have a claim for certain kinds of damages, but if the tree simply needs removing after falling, tell your landlord at once, and they should take care of it.
If You’re a Landlord?
You must do routine maintenance of your property so that the renters who live there remain safe and well-housed. Of course, there will be times when a tree falls that you couldn’t have anticipated. The key is to respond quickly when your renters inform you and find a great tree removal expert like Tree Triage as soon as possible to get them back to full use of the property.
If You’re a Neighbor?
It’s a frustrating reality that sometimes, trees cross property lines and can fall or lose limbs in ways that damage your property. North Carolina’s Pro Bono Resource Center offers guidance on what to do. Still, generally, you’ll be the one to work with your insurer to handle a tree removal or damages that occur on your property. The main exception is evidence that neglect, not bad luck and a nasty gust of wind, was why this damage occurred.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Chapel Hill?
The most common soil type in Piedmont, Chapel Hill’s location, is Cecil series, characterized as deep, well-drained, and moderately permeable. Pine, oak, and hickory trees thrive in this kind of soil, but because of high clay content in some soils in the Chapel Hill, NC area, you’ll want to be on the lookout for soil compaction and lack of permeability. If either of these factors occurs, it could be unfavorable for the survival of new trees on the property and could be a long-term problem for older trees.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health In Chapel Hill?
While being inland from the coast certainly means that Chapel Hill rarely bears the brunt of a tropical storm or hurricane, North Carolina is hit often enough with severe weather that it can harm trees in our area. While we enjoy relatively temperate winters, there is also the possibility of a deep freeze during the winter that can have lasting impacts on tree roots. The most vulnerable trees are usually those in their first year in a given location, right after transplant, when they are still adjusting.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Chapel Hill?
The town of Chapel Hill prioritizes keeping trees to retain the many benefits of having a well-forested town, but dead trees near lines of any kind can be a problem. Given the everyday use of Duke Energy in Chapel Hill, consider using their procedures to report hazardous trees first. You can also review the town of Chapel Hill FAQ on the tree policies that the City implemented, especially if Duke Energy does not maintain the lines.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Chapel Hill?
If you determine that a particular tree needs to be removed and fits within the parameters to be removed here in the Chapel Hill area, you may get some sticker shock when you see what it will cost. The range for a tree removal’s cost here tends to vary as much as $320 to $1,810 or more, with the average being $865. It only makes sense to think through whether your particular tree is likely to hit the top, middle, or bottom of that range with such a wide range. Here are the factors that most influence your tree removal cost – this can help you understand why the price feels high even though it is well-suited to the amount of work our tree removal professionals do.
Location
The price of removing a tree has everything to do with the tree’s location. A wide-open field on the outskirts of Chapel Hill with a single tree to remove is an entirely different endeavor than removing a tree that has fallen in a densely populated neighborhood, minimizing access to the property. Since we may need bucket trucks or even cranes for some parts of the job, the more complex it is to get to the tree, the higher the price. Accessibility issues can partially contribute to the cost because the process may simply take more time, and a project requiring our arborists for multiple days can get very expensive.
Size of Tree
It stands to reason that you wouldn’t spend the same amount to remove an enormous Oak tree towering over the neighborhood as you would root out a short couple-year-old pine. The sheer volume of material to be cut and moved affects the scope of work, so we have to charge accordingly.
Tree removal costs based on the size of a tree often fall in these ranges:
- Small (under 30 feet): $200 to $450
- Medium (30-60 feet): $420 to $1,200
- Large (60-80 feet): $800 to $1,500
- Extreme (80 feet and over): $1,000 to $2,000+
However, in the Chapel Hill area, various other factors can drive the price up or down. For instance, if you can give our crew multiple trees to cut that can be done in a day, you may get a volume discount of some type because they don’t have to take on the expense of packing up and moving to a different site for the rest of their workday.
Complications and Discounts
If you see that the quoted or estimated price for your tree removal is higher than the averages we’ve mentioned, that doesn’t mean you’re getting a bad deal. It often means that your tree may be of an unusual height or shape or that your tree will require the use of specialized equipment to remove. Another factor is urgency: tree removals that our crew can complete when they have time will cost less than tree removals that they must do immediately to avoid further damage. Finally, the lines in your area – cable, phone, power – impact how our crew works, so you might have an adjusted price because of that risk.
