Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Beaumont?
- 2 Does the City of Beaumont Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Beaumont?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Beaumont?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health In Beaumont?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Beaumont?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Beaumont?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Beaumont?
Trees in Beaumont are great for offering shade on warm, sunny days, and they also provide a haven for friendly wildlife creatures. But, sometimes, diseases and insect infestation settle in and the tree begins to look sick and eventually dies. The most common issues we see in this area are fungal and insect problems.
One common issue we deal with is Footrot, which is most often seen in Citrus trees that are planted too deeply in the ground. A tree, dealing with this fungal infection, will show brick-red or brown bark at the soil line, the lower parts of the trunk will have discoloration, and you’ll see yellowing foliage.
Also, this area has had issues with the Southern Pine Beetle. This insect affects trees in various parts of the southern U.S. The southeastern Texas pine trees have seen their fair share of this damaging beetle. Some signs of a Pine Beetle infestation are the reddish-brown crowns, sawdust at the base of the tree, and numerous tiny emergence holes in the bark.
Does the City of Beaumont Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The City of Beaumont only handles the trees that are considered city property. They help maintain the health and vigor of every tree that resides in certain city zones. When it comes to the ones that are located on residential lots, they will not be responsible for trimming, treating, or removing dead or diseased trees. That falls on the owner of the lot.
However, the city department will offer advice or help in finding services you may need concerning your trees. If you have issues with a tree that belongs to the city, you can contact them or use the specialized 311 app you can get for your smartphone. This helps get the information to the necessary department that will come and evaluate the situation in person.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Beaumont?
Beaumont is known for warm sunny weather most of the year, but it’s not uncommon to have bad thunderstorms and high winds creep in when you least expect it. Strong winds are notorious for breaking off tree limbs and on occasion, uprooting a whole tree. When that tree goes down, who’s responsible for taking care of the cleanup? Let’s take a look at a few scenarios.
If you’re a homeowner?
For a homeowner, keeping the trees on your lot trimmed and healthy is important not only to increase the value of your home and to help save on energy, but also to hopefully prevent accidents in the future. However, on occasion, a bad storm hits, and one of your trees gets uprooted and falls over onto your house. You own the tree and the home, so you’re responsible for taking care of both.
Of course, the damages to the home are generally taken care of by your home’s insurance policy. Check with your agent to see if tree removal is covered, as well. Depending on your policy, it might be, so get familiar with what kind of coverage you do have for your home.
If you’re a renter?
If you’re renting out a home from a landlord and a tree falls over onto the house, typically the responsibility of clean-up would fall onto the shoulders of the landlord. Their insurance would cover the damages to certain structures on the lot, depending on the terms of the insurance policy. But, there are a few situations where that rule might not apply.
The biggest one is when a tree falls over and only damages your vehicle. The landlord isn’t responsible for the damages to your car or other personal items. Car insurance policies should cover a portion of the damages to the car, depending on what kind of insurance you have. They should pay for the removal of the tree, though. You can, however, go after the landlord for damages if you can prove that they neglected a diseased or dying tree.
If you’re a landlord?
Typically, if a tree lands on a home that you rent out to someone else, you would be considered the one responsible. Your insurance, in most cases, would cover the damages to any structures on the property, depending on what is covered with your specific policy. Of course, that only applies if the tree fell due to a natural disaster, like a storm.
If the tree in question wasn’t healthy, to begin with, and the landlord neglected to do anything about it, the insurance may not cover any of the damages. If the renter decides to take the landlord to court over it, the renter is likely to win the case.
If a healthy tree falls over, and it damages the personal property of the renter, then either their renter’s insurance or auto insurance would cover at least a portion of the damages, assuming they have insurance, to begin with. But, if the tree was unhealthy and the landlord neglected to take care of it, they could be asked to reimburse the costs to the renter’s insurance company.
If you’re a neighbor?
As with many areas, if a neighbor’s tree falls over onto your lot and damages your home or other parts of your property, you would be responsible for removing the tree. Of course, homeowner’s insurance typically covers most damages, but you may need to pay a deductible fee, depending on what kind of policy you took out on your home.
But, there’s more to it than that in Texas. Insurance covers the damages, generally, if the tree fell over in what’s considered a natural disaster, which includes high winds and bad storms. However, if the tree fell over due to its unhealthy state, the situation might be different. If the neighbor knew of the tree’s condition and didn’t do anything about it, they would be considered negligent and could be held liable for the damages if it’s proven in a court of law.
Also, if they neglected the tree, and a bad storm uprooted it and caused it to fall over onto your home, they could still be held liable. Because Texas law states that if the neglect of the tree was substantial enough to be a major contributing factor to the tree falling onto your home, the natural disaster situation could not apply.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Beaumont?
In this area, we see mostly clay soil, which can be the most difficult to grow plant life in. The clay tends to be tightly compact, so air and water have a hard time penetrating through to nourish the roots of the trees.
Another hazard is the flooding we get in the area, especially after hurricanes or other severe storms. There’s enough water to penetrate the roots, but it doesn’t get the oxygen it needs from the air. While some trees have a tolerance for some flooding conditions, they can’t often handle too much for too long. They can, however, be treated in some cases.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health In Beaumont?
Since we live in a humid subtropical climate, we experience hot, wet summers, and cold but mild winters. We also live on a coastal plain, which really isn’t that far from the Gulf of Mexico. So, it’s not uncommon to experience hurricanes, flooding, and tornados in this region. These make for hazardous situations for the trees in our area.
Hurricanes bring strong winds, which can break and tip over trees quite easily. The stronger they are, the better the chance of survival they have. The same goes for tornados. Of course, even the strongest of trees can be no match for extremely high winds. Even broken tree limbs can be dangerous since the area left behind after the branch is ripped off makes the tree susceptible to insects and fungal infections.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Beaumont?
As with any area of Texas, trees in Beaumont are trimmed and maintained by you or by the city, depending on its location. However, when the tree or its branches are within six feet of power lines, a worker from the electrical department has to be the one to handle the trimming or tree removal.
Power lines contain high voltages that can seriously injure you if the tree trimming should go wrong. Also, if the tree or branch isn’t removed properly, it can fall and damage the power lines in the area, so that’s why only electrical professionals can handle the job when you’re that close to a power line.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Beaumont?
Removing trees in Beaumont Texas can vary in price, depending on a lot of factors. Generally, you can expect your removal costs to total between $300 and $2,100, depending on the below factors.
The Size of the Tree
One of the biggest factors that go into the price for the tree trimming project is the size of the tree. Often, smaller trees will be easier to remove than bigger ones, so not a whole lot of time or equipment would go into the job. But, larger trees generally take our crws more time, and possibly more equipment to remove them.
Access to the Tree
Another factor that comes into play is the tree’s location. Is it easy to access and remove, or is there a building or structure right next to it? If a tree is next to a garage, for example, it makes it more difficult to handle, because the job would have to be done without damaging the building. More equipment may also be needed to complete the project.
The Scope of the Project
What is involved in the project? If you’re looking into trimming several trees, you may qualify for a discount. If you plan on keeping the wood, costs might be less than if we had to transport the wood away or use a wood chipper to get rid of it.
Trees in the southeastern part of Texas are valuable to the climate, wildlife, and provide shade from the hot sun. To keep them healthy and strong, these trees need ongoing trimming and the diseased ones removed and replaced. Professionals like us can maintain your trees with proper trimming techniques, and we can take care of the unhealthy ones that treatments won’t be able to save.
