AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Concord, NC

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Concord?

Healthy trees can add up to 20% to your property’s value, so taking care of them is not only good for the planet, it’s good for your bottom line. In Concord, as in much of Piedmont, our trees are generally long-lived and well-loved, stately, and shady landmarks of our streets and neighborhoods. Much of the time, the biggest threat to our trees is simply the passage of years as they age and weaken, becoming more vulnerable to insect attacks, bacterial and fungal diseases, and the hazards of severe weather. For example, our numerous black gum trees are likely to outlive all of us, with an average lifespan of 150 to 300 years, while live oaks are known for surviving over centuries. We’ll discuss other threats to tree health in Concord below. 

Insect Pests

Many insects can take advantage of even the healthiest trees, often entering through areas where limbs or branches have been damaged. 

• Emerald Ash Borer — One of the more recent and dangerous threats to the many ash trees that shade our Concord streets, emerald ash borers drill into ash trees under the bark, increasingly damaging trees until they can no longer survive.
• Cankerworm — You’ve probably seen the small green cankerworms that devour leaves on many of our hardwood trees such as oak, ash, hickory, apple, and beech, moving over leaves and bark like inchworms until they drop to the ground on threads like spider silk. Generally, cankerworms don’t kill their host trees but can weaken and stress them, making them easy prey for other insects and diseases to invade.
• Gloomy Scale — Small insects called “scales” prey on many plants and trees by attaching themselves and making a little shell- or scale-like covering over themselves for protection. Gloomy scale is one type that preys on many of our favorite Concord trees, including maples, sweetgum, and holly. The scale makes dark-colored bumps on trees where it feeds on them and expands the colony year by year. While the gloomy scale doesn’t usually kill the trees it infests, it can make them less attractive and can weaken them, so they are more vulnerable to other pests and diseases. 

Tree Diseases

Bacteria and fungi can also take advantage of damaged or weakened trees.

• Root Rot — Countless types of fungi and bacteria can damage the root systems of many species of trees, weakening their hold in the soil and making them vulnerable to other damaging diseases and insects. The weakened root system of an affected tree can also make it more susceptible to falling in strong winds or due to the shifting and waterlogged soil often caused by heavy rains. 
• Wilts — Wilts is one of the kinds of tree diseases which affect their ability to move water and nutrients through the natural channels trees grow inside the wood, called xylem, and to move sap through the phloem system. They are usually a fungus that is spread by insects, and most types of wilt affect several kinds of trees. Oak Wilt and Laurel Wilt are two that affect trees around Concord, as well as the most familiar tree wilt known to many people, Dutch Elm disease. 

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

The City of Concord has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Society, indicating the importance we place on our beautiful trees. Concord’s Urban Forestry Division takes responsibility for pruning, trimming, maintenance, and other needed care for trees along our streets and in our parks and other public spaces, following the guidelines of our City Tree Ordinance. While the Urban Forestry Division will not generally remove trees on private property, the Division does offer the opportunity for you to contact the City Arborist for advice on tree care and maintenance. 

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Concord?

In general, the responsibility for a fallen tree in North Carolina lies with the person on whose property the tree has fallen. This holds true in most cases, even if the tree grew on your neighbor’s property or a public street. The situation may change if the fallen tree was damaged, unhealthy, or dead at the time it fell. For such trees that are already compromised, the liability may fall to the property owner on whose land the tree grew. Most of the time, your own insurance company will cover damages and tree removal, but if the fallen tree did not grow on your property, they may seek to recover some costs from the tree’s owner or their insurance company. Importantly, if you have a tree that’s obviously in poor health, and it falls on a neighbor’s property, your insurance company may refuse to pay out claims related to that damage, due to your negligence in attending to the hazardous tree. This is especially true if your neighbor can prove they alerted you to the tree’s condition, and you did not take care of it.

If you’re a homeowner?

As mentioned, fallen trees are generally the responsibility of the person on whose property the tree has fallen (and their insurance company). Trees proven to be unhealthy when they fell may be the tree owner’s responsibility in some cases. Trees that grow across property lines may have joint responsibility.

If you’re a renter?

As a renter, you are generally not responsible for major issues related to the home you rent, including fallen trees. Of course, if your lease specifically indicates that you, the tenant, are responsible for fallen trees, the situation will change. To help protect the home you rent, it’s a good idea to report any tree issues you notice to your landlord, so they can be taken care of promptly, whether on your property or an adjacent lot.

If you’re a landlord?

In most cases, the same rules apply to landlords as to homeowners. Maintaining the trees on property you rent out is one way you can help create good landlord-tenant relations and can prevent damage to your property, too.

If you’re a neighbor?

If your tree falls on your neighbor’s property, as long as the tree was healthy, your neighbor is usually responsible for removing the tree on their property. If your tree was obviously in poor shape, and you didn’t have it taken care of, you are likely liable for its removal and associated damages. Arranging for regular tree maintenance is just one way to be a great neighbor.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Concord?

Soil is composed of three parts, sand, silt, and clay. Different percentages of each component determine its specific nature. Sand helps with drainage, silt with fertility, and clay with water and nutrient retention. Cabarrus County is part of the region of North Carolina with Piedmont soil. Around Concord, this generally means silty, clayey soils, though soils in the eastern part of Cabarrus County, along Dutch Buffalo Creek, tend to have less clay content. As evidenced by our thick forests and lust tree canopy, Piedmont soil is excellent for encouraging tree and root growth.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Concord?

Our generally mild weather and adequate rain make for wonderful conditions for numerous hardwood and softwood species of trees to thrive. While we see occasional severe weather, we are lucky to generally avoid strong tornadoes or hurricanes, meaning our trees have nearly optimal conditions for growth, and the opportunity to develop strong root systems. The greatest risks to our trees tend to come from physical damage, insect pests, and diseases, rather than from weather-related harm.

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Concord?

The Concord Electrical Systems Department is generally responsible for ensuring trees are maintained along utility rights-of-way to help prevent outages in the electric system. If you notice dead or damaged trees close to power lines, you should contact the department to alert them to this maintenance need. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Concord?

Homeowners often delay tree maintenance, expecting that it will be too expensive. Unfortunately, this delayed care can ultimately mean that a tree must be removed. While this will generally cost more than the maintenance would have, prices for tree removal in Concord are quite reasonable, generally running from about $450 to $650. A tree that has already fallen and simply needs to be cut into logs and hauled away will normally cost substantially less than removing a standing tree. If your tree removal is covered by insurance, your coverage will usually pay a percentage of the costs, on average, about $500 to $1000, after your deductible. Of course, every tree and its location are different, so a number of factors come into play when determining the cost of tree removal. 

Size and Type of Tree

One of the most influential aspects of removing a tree is the nature of the tree itself. Larger trees tend to bring larger costs. Some trees grow with more complicated trunk and limb systems, requiring additional work or techniques to remove them. Oaks and other hardwoods can also be more expensive as their heavier, denser wood can require more labor to take down, while evergreens may require more labor in the cleanup stage. 

Location and Terrain

Equally important is the tree’s location and surroundings. When tree removal requires work close to houses, garages, other yard structures and outbuildings, landscaping, nearby trees, utility lines, and the many other parts of your property (and your neighbors’ properties) which may need to be protected during the tree removal process, the time and care we must take will add to your costs. A tree that is more difficult for our equipment and workers to reach will also generally be more expensive to remove than one which we can easily reach. 

Additional Costs and Equipment

If your tree removal requires specialized equipment such as a bucket truck or crane, your costs will generally be higher. When we need a larger team to safely remove your tree, that will also add to the expense of tree removal. Homeowners frequently request additional work to be included as part of a tree removal job, including log splitting, limb chipping, stump grinding, and other work which affects the final price too.