AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Summerville, SC

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Summerville?

The most common tree issues in Summerville include pest infestation, diseases, and harsh weather. Often, the problems aggravate each other. For instance, diseases and pests leave the trees weak. This increases their chances of destruction by extreme weather conditions such as floods or strong winds. 

In the same way, when healthy trees go through a period of prolonged bad weather, like drought, their root systems get damaged. Strong winds also leave their stems and branches bruised, exposing them to pest infestation and diseases. As the issues compound, chances of survival become minimal.

Weather Problems

Mainly, Summerville receives rainfall throughout the year, but prolonged dry weather occurs once in a while. Lack of water damages the roots, thereby destroying a tree’s support. When the heavy winds blow through the city, they make the already weak trees worse and blow some away. Even when heavy rains fall eventually, it’s usually hard to salvage a tree with damaged roots, and most succumb to root rot. 

Tree Diseases

Tree diseases in Summerville range from leaf to stem and root diseases. For instance, you may find leaf spots and mildew on magnolias, while pines often suffer from needle diseases (needle rust, needle blight), root tot, etc. Conditions such as anthracnose affect many species, such as dogwoods, maples, oaks, ashes, and hickory. Rust is also common among hardwoods such as oaks, maples, and ashes.

Tree Pests

Opportunistic pests often attack disease-ravaged and drought-stricken trees whose immune is too weak to fight back. Beetles, aphids, caterpillars, etc., attack and sap nutrients from the trees while impeding the flow of nutrients to stems or leaves. Most tree pests are also responsible for spreading diseases from an infected tree to the neighboring healthy ones. When the problems are uncontrollable, Summerville’s Tree Protection Ordinance allows removal to prevent spreading.

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

According to Summerville’s Tree Protection Ordinance, a landowner is responsible for maintaining their trees, including their removal, when situations call for it. Dead or dying and diseased trees ought to be removed for safety measures or disease control. Trees near buildings and which pose a safety hazard also require removal. The city expects a landowner to take note of such trees on their property and remove them. If the owner fails to act responsibly, the city can walk onto the property and demand their removal.

Whether you’re removing trees for site development or as a safety precaution, the city requires you to acquire a permit. This also applies to utility companies, which are required to replace any trees they remove at another designated location. 

Note that unless a tree poses a safety hazard, the city reserves the right to refuse a removal request. Permits acquisition applies to all trees, as long as they are 8-inch DBH (diameter at breast height). Trees with 16-inch DBH or more can only be removed after approval by the Tree Advisory Protection Committee. In all cases, permit issuance requires a non-refundable application fee of $5, which should be done online.

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Summerville?

In Summerville, fallen tree removal is the tree owner’s responsibility, but only under certain circumstances. Tree issues are often contentious, especially if a tree falls across the property boundary.

If you’re a homeowner?

When your tree falls, it’s your responsibility to remove it unless it damages insured property. In that case, part of the insurance compensation should cater to the removal costs. 

If you’re a renter?

A renter is not responsible for the maintenance of trees on the rented property. If a tree falls, your landlord is responsible for its removal.

If you’re a landlord?

As a landlord, you should remove any tree that falls on the property. If it damages insured structures, your property insurance should cater for its removal expenses.

If you’re a neighbor?

Though your neighbor should maintain their trees in excellent condition, they are not always held accountable if they fall. If, say, a storm blows across the neighborhood, and your neighbor’s tree falls on your house, you cannot demand they take responsibility if the tree was healthy and well-taken care of. In this case, your homeowner’s insurance compensation should cater to the damages, including the tree removal expenses. However, if your neighbor neglected the tree and you have evidence to prove it, you can pursue them to take care of the damages.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Summerville?

Soil health is essential in supporting healthy tree growth. A well-compacted soil provides better tree root support and is ideal in areas with strong winds like here in Summerville. Optimal tree growth also requires well-drained soils to allow smooth water and nutrients absorption by the roots. 

Most Summerville soils are ideal for excellent tree growth. You’ll find the soils in layers in most places, with the top layer mainly being sandy loam and an underlying clay loam. The top layer provides ideal conditions for nutrient storage and absorption, while the lower layer offers increased support, especially for tall trees whose roots go deeper. 

However, some areas have poor topsoils, thanks to higher quantities of sand. This doesn’t mean the soils are entirely unsuitable for tree growth. Adding organic material such as compost helps improve the soil’s nutrient retention levels. It also increases its compactness, which minimizes soil erosion.

Generally, the naturally occurring soils of Summerville have a low pH, which is not ideal for most species. The majority of the tree species perform best at neutral pH. Usually, consulting an arborist before embarking on tree planting activities can be helpful. They can conduct a soil test to establish the pH, then recommend the appropriate treatment to bring the pH to the ideal level for the particular trees you wish to plant.

That said, local trees such as pine, maple, ash, hickory, and oak do well in Summerville soils. Other foreign species, such as the Chinese elm, which has replaced the native American elm in most places, also do pretty well.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Summerville?

Though most trees in Summerville are weather-adaptive, sometimes extreme conditions take a toll on their health. Winters are usually short and cold here, but the already damaged root systems become susceptible to root rot whenever winter follows abnormally dry weather. 

Winds blow through the city and its environs in most months of the year. Trees that have been weakened by disease or pest infestation usually sustain adverse damage. Some are left with broken branches, while others are stripped of their leaves. 

When trees shed off their leaves, they rely on stored food to sustain them as new leaves form to resume photosynthesis. This is a natural process that trees go through. However, disease attacks and subsequent loss of leaves off-season courtesy of winds disrupts the process. Consequently, the trees starve, even as disease and pest infestation wipe them off.

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Summerville?

Summerville utility companies are responsible for vegetation management along power lines. This includes trimming trees and other vegetation and removing any trees that are too close to the lines. 

As part of the vegetation management regulations, the city requires the companies to replace any trees they remove from the rights-of-way. The replacement is done at a city-approved location, and the company must only plant the specified tree species.

That said, whenever there are dead trees along power lines, you should report to the respective company. For instance, Dominion Energy has a hotline for reporting tree issues, such as dead trees. Once you notify the company, it’s upon them to get the necessary permit and proceed with the removal.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Summerville?

Tree removal cost in Summerville varies depending on the tree size, its location, health, project size, task complexity, etc.

Generally, most tree-cutting projects will cost anywhere between $200 and $600. If you want the stump removed, we typicall charge an additional $150-250. Stump grinding is much cheaper than removal and costs between $100 and $150. 

Task Difficulty 

We always quote you depending on how complex a project is. For example, removing a tree that has fallen on a house is highly risky and can result in more damage if not handled carefully. Such a task would require using extra machinery such as a crane or bucket truck. Removing the tree would also take longer, as our crew will strive to avoid damaging the house further. All these are factors that are likely to result in a higher fee. 

Size

Another critical cost determinant is the size of your tree. A smaller tree, say, 30-foot high, will cost relatively cheaper than a 60-foot tree of the same species. In the same way, a tree with a broader trunk or multiple trunks and equally enormous branches will see you pay more than removing a less-bulkier tree such as a palm. Again, if you’re cutting numerous trees, we might give you a discount, resulting in a lower per-tree charge.

Age

The quote you get is likely to rise depending on the tree’s age, especially where it includes stump and root removal. Roots grow deeper as a tree ages. Thus, removing an older tree is likely to cost you more compared to a younger tree. 

If the tree is aged and diseased or dead, you may end up paying even more. This is because climbing such a tree to cut and rope down pieces would be too risky. Instead, it would require using machinery, which adds up to the cost.