Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Wichita Falls?
- 2 Does the City of Wichita Falls Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Wichita Falls?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Wichita Falls?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Wichita Falls?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Wichita Falls?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Wichita Falls?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Wichita Falls?
Trees are an asset for your Wichita Falls yard. They provide shade and offer character to your yard. Our team sees trees in all shapes and sizes around the area. The trees that we see most commonly include:
- Sugarberry
- Cedar Elm
- Post Oak
- Afghan Pine
- Bird of Paradise
- Chinese Pistache
- Pecan
- Texas Mountain Laurel
Some of these trees can grow to soaring heights, with long limbs and rich greenery. When you have an impressive tree in your Wichita Falls yard, it’s hard to understand when one needs to be removed. Here are a few of the tree issues that we see more often than others in the area:
Storm Damage
Everything is bigger in Texas, and this includes the storms. The Wichita Falls area sees many violent storms when the weather warms up or cools off. Many of these storms include thunder or lightning.
Lightning can strike one of your trees or near one and cause damage. Some direct lightning strikes can even split a tree in half. Along with thunderstorms come strong winds.
These winds can rip a tree limb off or toss items at the trees in your Wichita Falls yard that damage or kill them. There’s also the possibility of a tornado. Wichita Falls has seen some historic tornadoes, and one in 1964 destroyed more than 200 homes.
Tornadoes bring winds with them of up to 300 mph. These winds are strong enough to rip a tree out of your Wichita Falls yard, roots and all. Even if the twister isn’t coming directly towards your home and yard, they can still damage your trees.
A tornado has a debris field that can extend up to a mile on either side of the funnel. It also extends up to 50 miles behind it. If you think that one of the trees in your yard has suffered damage in a storm, our team can evaluate it and come up with a game plan.
Damage from Winter Weather
While Wichita Falls only sees around two inches of snow each year and the temperatures are moderate, there is always a few days or a week each year when the temperatures plummet to below freezing and stay there.
These freezing days create a condition known as a hard freeze. A hard freeze is so cold that it freezes the soil in your yard and keeps your trees from getting the moisture and nutrients that they need to grow.
If you have evergreen trees in your yard, they should survive a hard freeze without any issue. Other trees in your Wichita Falls yard might not be so lucky, becoming damaged or dying during this period.
When spring arrives, your trees should start growing again. A tree that doesn’t start growing again might have died during a hard freeze. You may have a tree that seems to be fine but dies a few months later.
This tree might have been damaged during the hard freeze and it started growing again. However, the damage began to spread, killing the tree.
Does the City of Wichita Falls Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
In the city of Wichita Falls, the city takes care of the trees on public land. They will plant, trim, and remove trees as necessary. This includes an area of an easement on your land. However, they don’t assist with a tree removal problem on private property, and most of your yard is private property.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Wichita Falls?
Our team often receives phone calls from locals wondering who is responsible for the removal of a fallen tree in a Wichita Falls yard. It seems like all of these fall into several sets of circumstances. This section covers the circumstances that we hear most often.
If you’re a homeowner?
As the Wichita Falls homeowner, you’re probably responsible for removing a fallen tree in your yard in most circumstances. There is a chance that the fallen tree is on an easement. Typically, an easement is a small parcel of land close to the street that the city or a local utility company retains the right to use. They can build sidewalks or bury cables and pipes in this area. If the fallen tree is on an easement, the entity that retains the rights will remove the tree.
If you’re a renter?
Sometimes, a renter will take care of routine lawn maintenance. They mow the grass and pull weeds in the yard of their rented Wichita Falls home. When a tree falls in the yard, it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to remove it, and the renter’s responsibility to let the homeowner know about any tree issues.
If you’re a landlord?
The homeowner and the landlord are the same. As such, you’re responsible for removing a fallen tree in the yard, even when someone else is living in your home.
If you’re a neighbor?
With large trees, such as oak and pine, in the yard, it isn’t a shock when we receive a call from a homeowner whose neighbor’s tree fell and is now in their yard, too. You’re responsible for removing the part of the tree that’s now in your yard.
There is a chance that your neighbor knew the tree was damaged or diseased and failed to remove it. This negligence makes them liable for any damages in your yard, including removing the tree.
It’s always a good idea to talk to your neighbor before taking any legal steps. If the two of you can work out a solution, it’ll go a long way towards remaining on friendly terms. You might live next to your neighbor for many years to come.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Wichita Falls?
In Wichita Falls, the most common soil type we see in the area is Alfisols. This is nutrient-rich soil that’s great for growing crops and trees. This is clay-based soil, so it takes longer to drain water after rainfall. This can leave your trees vulnerable to root rot. It’s a fungal disease that can damage or kill a tree.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Wichita Falls?
You can expect the weather in Wichita Falls to affect the health of your trees. The violent thunderstorms bring high winds and lightning. A direct strike from lightning can damage or kill a tree in seconds.
With thunderstorms, the chance of a tornado is always an issue. A tornado can rip a tree from the ground or pick up your car and toss it like a Matchbox car. The debris field can slam items into your trees, damaging them.
In the winter months, there’s almost always a few days or a week when the temperatures fall below zero, creating a hard freeze. This freeze keeps your trees from getting the nutrients they need to survive. A hard freeze can damage or kill a tree in your Wichita Falls yard.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Wichita Falls?
You don’t want to be anywhere near a dead tree that’s lying on a power line. If you see one, it’s time to call your local emergency services. A dead tree near a power line needs to be handled by a professional tree removal service like Tree Triage to safely remove it.
Sometimes, a dead tree in your Wichita Falls yard is on an easement owned by the power company. You can get the utility company to remove it if it’s in that area. Otherwise, you’re responsible for removing any trees in your yard.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Wichita Falls?
Cost is important to Wichita Falls homeowners, but we can’t give you an exact cost until we see the tree. The cost of tree removal runs between $150 and $1,975, with an average of about $585. While we don’t need to secure a tree removal permit from the city, there are other cost factors to consider:
Tree Size
When you have a taller or thicker tree, our team needs to take additional precautions to remove it safely. It also takes more time to remove larger trees. All of these considerations will add to your final bill.
Tree Location
A tree near your home requires additional safety measures to ensure that the branches and trunk don’t damage your home as we remove it. This takes more time and safety equipment to accomplish.
Tree Condition
You might think that it’s easier to remove a heavily decayed tree, but it isn’t. We need to carefully remove it and brace it to ensure the decayed areas don’t crumble, causing an uncontrolled fall and possibly damaging your home or property.
