Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in American Fork?
- 2 Does the City of American Fork Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in American Fork?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in American Fork?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in American Fork?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in American Fork?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in American Fork?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in American Fork?
The trees in your yard offer shade and add curb appeal. There’s a diverse selection of native trees in the American Fork area. The most common trees that we see include:
- White Fir
- Rocky Mountain Maple
- Big Tooth Maple
- Boxelder
- Serviceberry
- Netleaf Hackberry
- Mountain Mahogany
- Desert Willow
These trees can look like they’re reaching far into the sky. This makes it harder for American Fork homeowners to understand what happened when it comes time for a tree’s removal. Here are a couple of the most common tree issues that we see in the area:
Damage from Drought Conditions
Although American Fork has an average snowfall of 34 inches each year, and it melts in the spring to be absorbed by the soil, the area has an average rainfall of only 15 inches each year and only on eight days during the summer months.
This lack of rain during the summer months leaves the area ripe for drought conditions. Your trees need sunlight, water, and nutrients to continue growing, which leaves them in danger of withering during the summer.
If the dry spell lasts too long, you might need to offset the lack of moisture by watering your trees. The city of American Fork does have some restrictions for watering your lawn, and they recommend that you water your lawn and trees on Sundays.
It’s always a good idea to check with the city when there are drought conditions to verify the most recent water restrictions. If you think a tree in your yard is suffering due to drought, our team can evaluate it and advise you on the best way to treat it.
Damage from Pests, Insects, and Other Critters
While you need insects and other pests in your yard to maintain the delicate balance of the local ecosystem, they aren’t always a good thing for your trees. Insects and other pests like to live in or dine on trees, damaging them and in some cases, killing them. The most common pests that we see in the area include:
- Asian Gypsy Moth
- Asian Longhorned Beetle
- Emerald Ash Borer Beetle
- European Cherry Fruit Fly
- European Gypsy Moth
- Spotted Lanternfly
These critters don’t contain their damage to a single tree, and you may find them infesting multiple trees in your American Fork yard. The good news is that if caught early enough, we can treat the tree and possibly minimize the damage. To do this, you need to be able to recognize the signs of an insect infestation. These are:
- You see bugs on the tree or swarming near it
- Tree limbs and leaves that grower smaller than normal
- Weak areas between the trunk and a limb
- Less fullness in the leaf canopy
- Sudden lack of growth
- Areas of bark missing on the trunk
- Leaves that are discolored or shaped funny
- Leaves with chunks or edges missing
- Holes and channels in the trunk
You might notice other signs of damage. Our team can check on the condition of your tree and help you decide on a treatment or removal plan.
Does the City of American Fork Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The city of American Fork has clear guidelines for the care of the trees on public land. This includes planting, pruning, and removing damaged trees within the set guidelines. They will also remove a damaged tree that sits on an easement on your property that they retain the right to use. However, if the tree is on your private property, as the homeowner, you are responsible for removing it, and the city doesn’t provide any assistance.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in American Fork?
The American Fork homeowner is almost always the person who is responsible for removing a tree in their yard. However, our team often gets calls about special circumstances, so we created this section to review them and to offer you guidance.
If you’re a homeowner?
When you’re the homeowner and the fallen tree is on private property, you’re responsible for its removal. Sometimes, the city or a local utility holds an easement on your property. This is an area where they run power lines or water pipes. The city might build a sidewalk in the area. If the fallen tree is on an easement, the entity that holds the right to use it will remove the tree.
If you’re a renter?
As a renter in American Fork, you might handle routine lawn maintenance. However, the responsibility for removing a fallen tree remains with the homeowner. It’s always a good idea to let the homeowner know as soon as you see an issue with a tree.
If you’re a landlord?
Even though someone else is renting your home, as the American Fork homeowner, you’re still responsible for removing a fallen tree from the yard.
If you’re a neighbor?
Trees aren’t always courteous enough to fall in a single yard. Sometimes, when your neighbor has tall trees, one will fall in both yards. As the American Fork homeowner, you’re responsible for removing the section of the tree in your yard.
Occasionally, we hear from locals and find out their neighbor knew there was a problem with the tree and didn’t do anything about it. This makes the neighbor negligent in their care of the tree.
Your neighbor’s negligence makes them liable for the damages to your home and property. Yes, this includes removing all of the fallen tree–even the portion in your yard. When this happens, you want to talk to your neighbor before you take any legal steps.
The two of you might be able to work out a solution. This will make maintaining a friendly relationship easier in the future.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in American Fork?
There are seven soil types that are commonly found in the American Fork area. These include:
- Aridisols
- Entisols
- Mollisols
- Alfisols
- Inceptisols
- Histosols
- Vertisols
Our team can run a soil test in your yard and help you understand how your specific soil makeup affects the trees in your yard. In general, the soil in the area promotes healthy tree growth.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in American Fork?
Yes, you can expect the weather in American Fork to affect the health of your tree. The summers bring drought conditions with only eight days of rainfall from the beginning of June until the end of August.
This dry weather can deprive your trees of much-needed water and nutrients. You may need to water your trees to keep them healthy and growing. The winter weather is also challenging.
American Fork sees brutally cold winters, and your soil may freeze in a hard freeze. This leaves your tree without nutrients for weeks or months. You may find in the spring that one of your trees has died.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in American Fork?
You don’t want to get anywhere near a dead tree that’s fallen onto a power line; it’s a life-threatening situation. Instead, you need to contact the local emergency services to deal with it. Even if a dead tree is near a power line, you need a professional company like Tree Triage to remove it, so it doesn’t end up on the power line.
In some cases, you may find that a dead tree near a power line is actually on an easement in your American Fork yard. The power company will handle the removal of the tree in this situation. If not, then the tree is on private property and your responsibility to remove it, including making the arrangements and covering the costs.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in American Fork?
When you’re a homeowner, cost matters. We can’t give you an exact price until we see the tree, but the cost of tree removal in the American Fork area ranges between $175 and $1,950 with an average of about $565.
Your actual cost varies depending on a few factors. While the city and state of Utah only require a permit when cutting down Christmas trees, there are other factors that play a role in your final cost.
Firewood and Wood Chips
When we cut down a tree in American Fork, many homeowners want us to turn the removed tree into firewood for their home or wood chips. The wood chips make an excellent mulch to help keep moisture around your tree roots during the dry season.
Tree Size
There are some massive and majestic trees growing in the yards in the area. A tall or thick tree requires additional time and equipment to remove it without damaging your home or other trees.
Tree Location
When a tree sits amid other trees or close to your home, we need to make sure that nothing gets damaged in the removal process. This requires additional time and equipment, raising your final cost.
