Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Sandy?
- 2 Does the City of Sandy Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Sandy?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Sandy?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Sandy?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Sandy?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Sandy?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Sandy?
In the Sandy area, the trees provide shade and add to the natural beauty of the site. We see many yards with a variety of native and non-native trees. The trees that see most often include:
- White Fir
- Rocky Mountain Maple
- Bigtooth Maple
- Boxelder
- Serviceberry
- Netleaf Hackberry
- Mountain Mahogany
- Desert Willow
Some of these trees can grow to 100 feet and taller. When the trees are tall and majestic, Sandy homeowners are confused when one of them needs to be removed. They often want to understand what happened to their tree. Here are a few of the tree issues that we see more often than others in the area:
Insect Infestation
When spring arrives, and the weather warms up, the bugs come to Sandy. These insects are portrayed as adorable in animated children’s movies, but they can damage and destroy one of the trees in your yard in real life. Insects and other pests want to use your tree as their summer home or a food source. The insects that we often 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 always stick to a single tree, so it may have spread to multiple trees when you find an insect infestation in one tree. We can treat a pest infestation if you recognize the signs and treat it early. You need to know the signs so that you can act quickly. The most common symptoms are:
- Insects or pests crawling on the tree
- Sunken areas of decay
- Misshapen or discolored leaves
- New leaves and limbs that appear smaller
- Fewer leaves in the canopy
- Sudden lack of growth
- Channels and holes in the trunk
- Missing bark on the trunk
There are other possible signs of a pest infestation, so if you feel like there’s an issue, it’s time to act. Our team can evaluate the tree and recommend the best course of action.
Winter Weather Damage
With an average yearly snowfall of over five feet, Sandy is a white winter wonderland. During the day, the temperatures hover around freeze, but at night, they plummet into the mid to low-20s.
Extended freezing weather leads to a hard freeze. During a hard freeze, the soil in your Sandy yard, along with the moisture and nutrients, freeze. The frozen ground leaves the trees struggling to get the nourishment that they need to survive and thrive.
Your Sandy yard probably has a few evergreen trees, and they’ll weather these temperatures without any issues unless it’s a young tree. Some other trees might perish during the harsh winter.
In the spring, you expect your trees to start growing new leaves and limbs. If one fails to flourish, it probably perished during a hard freeze. You might find that one of your trees bounces back and then suddenly stops growing.
This tree in your Sandy yard was more than likely was damaged during the hard freeze. As time passed, the damage spread and eventually killed the entire tree.
If you think a tree was damaged during the winter, we can determine the extent of the damage and advise you on your choices.
Does the City of Sandy Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
While the City of Sandy takes care of the trees on public land, they won’t provide any assistance for trees on private property. For the most part, the trees in your yard are on private property. There is a chance that the tree sits on an easement owned by the City. If that’s the case, the City will remove the tree for you.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Sandy?
When a tree falls, there’s always a scramble to determine the responsible party for its removal. Our Sandy team gets a variety of phone calls with people in varied situations asking this question. We’ve put together this section to review some circumstances and the responsible party.
If You’re a Homeowner?
As the Sandy homeowner, you’re responsible for removing any fallen trees from your yard because it’s considered private property. You might be able to get the City to remove the tree if it’s on an easement. The easement is regarded as public land.
If You’re a Renter?
When you rent a Sandy home, your lease might state that you’re responsible for the yard work. However, a fallen tree is a much longer project than yard work, and the homeowner is responsible for its removal. You do need to call the homeowner and let them know as soon as you notice an issue.
If You’re a Landlord?
Most landlords in Sandy are also the homeowner. If this is the situation that you find yourself in, then it’s your responsibility to remove the fallen tree. You might have a renter living in the home, but you’re still the responsible party.
If You’re a Neighbor?
The Sandy area has some tall trees growing in residential yards. All these trees make it entirely possible that one day you’ll find that one of your neighbor’s trees has fallen, and it’s in both of your yards. Your first question is: who is responsible for its removal.
It’s your responsibility to remove the part of the tree that’s in your yard unless your neighbor was negligent in caring for the tree. If your neighbor knew they needed to have the tree removed and did nothing about it, then they’re liable for the damages and removing the tree.
You might want to call a lawyer, but you might consider talking to your neighbor first. The two of you might be able to work out a solution, and this will help you remain friendly with a neighbor that you might need to live next to for years to come.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Sandy?
In Sandy, we see a variety of soil types. There are seven types that we see most commonly, and these include:
- Aridisols
- Entisols
- Mollisols
- Alfisols
- Inceptisols
- Histosols
- Vertisols
These soil types are generally beneficial for tree growth. Before we can tell you how the soil in your Sandy yards affects your trees, we would need to run a soil test to determine its exact composition.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Sandy?
The weather in Sandy can affect the health of your trees. The bitterly cold winters and piles of snow can create a hard freeze. This condition freezes the soil in your yard and keeps your trees from accessing the nutrients they need to thrive.
From June to August, the area only sees rain on an average of nine days. Such little rainfall can leave your soil parched and your tree in desperate need of nutrients. You’ll need to place mulch around the base of your trees and possibly watering them based on the current watering restrictions.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Sandy?
When you combine a dead tree and power lines, it becomes a highly hazardous condition. A dead tree lying on a power line is an emergency; you need to leave the area and call emergency services. If the tree is only near a power line, you need a professional tree service like us to remove it so it doesn’t fall onto the power line.
As the Sandy homeowner, you’re responsible for removing a dead tree from your private property. However, when it comes to a dead tree near a power line, there’s a real possibility that the tree sits on an easement, and you can get the power company to remove it for you.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Sandy?
Almost all the calls we receive in our Sandy office start with this question. We’d love to give you an exact cost but can’t until we see the tree. The tree removal cost ranges between $170 to $2,140, with an average price of about $650. Fortunately, you only need tree removal in the city, but there are other cost factors:
Add-On Options
In some cases, the Sandy homeowner wants to add another service or two when we remove a tree. The most popular are removing the stump and turning the tree into firewood.
Location of the Tree
When a tree is close to your home or amid a tight group of trees in your yard, it requires more time and equipment to remove it safely. We don’t want to damage your home or other trees during the removal process.
Condition of the Tree
With some trees, the decay starts before the entire tree dies. When a tree has many decayed areas, we have to work carefully so the decayed areas don’t crumble in on themselves, causing an uncontrolled fall. It takes more time and equipment to remove a tree like this safely.
