|
News and Blog Articles
|
|
This month, we want to shine a spotlight on an emergency job completed recently for a customer in Athens. After a brutal storm, this lovely pine tree failed and crashed into this customer’s home. While the large hole in the roof needs to be repaired, the more pressing issue is getting the tree off the roof and onto the ground safely. Classic City Arborists to the Rescue For this particular tree removal we rented a 50-ton crane from a local rental company called Northeast Georgia Crane (thanks, guys!), to pick the pieces off the home as we cut them and lay them gently on the ground. Considering that each piece weighed between 1500 and 2500 pounds, this was the safest option for this particular job.
Our workers then cut the top-portion into more manageable-sized chunks by removing individual limbs and breaking up the main pole. Using out Miniature Skid Steer, these limbs and chunks were hauled a few at a time out of the customer’s yard all the way to our Chipper Truck, where they were promptly mulched.
After all that work was done, we went through and cleared off debris from both the roof and area surrounding the house until it was spotless. For good measure, we also tarped over the hole in the roof to prevent further damage to the home and reduce the risk for injury until the customer was able to get a roofing company to come out and repair it. And then we were done! The tree was gone, the remains mulched, and the tree debris around the site cleared. This was not our first emergency job, and it certainly won’t be our last; situations like this one are precarious at best and disastrous at worst, and we at Classic City Arborists are proud to offer emergency services to put you at the front of our schedule, giving you priority over non-emergency jobs, and eliminating the danger as quickly as possible. While we love living in Georgia (especially the Athens area), our beloved Peach State comes with pretty frequent severe weather. We get our fair share of thunderstorms, high winds, lightning strikes, and sometimes, even tornadoes; any one of these can easily uproot or displace any trees already experiencing signs of failure, and can even cause a perfectly healthy tree to fail. And with summer right around the corner, those summer storms are quickly approaching, and any trees on your property and around your home are at risk. So What Can You Do? Unfortunately, it’s impossible to completely eliminate the chance of an emergency tree fail, as perfectly healthy and stable trees are still at risk during inclement weather. But you can reduce the threat potential in a few different ways. Trees with pre-existing damage or failing health are more likely to succumb to a storm; keep your eyes out for any of these 5 Simple Signs of Decay, and call in a certified arborist if you suspect one of your trees may be failing. You can also have a Tree Risk Assessment completed on your property, which involves a certified arborist examining every tree in your yard, identifying which trees present high levels of risk, and preparing a plan for mitigating that risk. If you’d like to start on a prevention plan for staying safe this summer, fill out our Contact Form today! What Happens if a Tree Falls on My House?If a tree falls onto your house (or garage, or back porch, or car, or even your shed), the first thing to do is evacuate! Call emergency services if anyone has been injured, or if any power or utility lines have been impacted.
Once you have the all-clear from the insurance company, it’s time to call your friendly neighborhood arborist to have the tree removed safely. What Do I Look for in an Arborist?At Classic City Arborists, we are always excited to work with our customers, but understand that we might not always be the best choice for every individual. We do, however, highly recommend verifying that the tree service company chosen is Licensed and Insured. It is also very prudent to utilize a Certified Arborist, especially in an emergency situation. To check that they are licensed, you can request a copy of the company’s business license, or you can verify with the local county tax commissioner’s office. To check that they are insured, you can request a copy of their Certificate of Insurance and check their liability amounts, as well as their worker’s compensation coverage. This protects both you and the company you work with should any further damage occur during removal. To check that they are a certified arborist, you can search for the individual’s name in the Trees Are Good database. This means your arborist has spent time learning, honing their skill, and proving their knowledge in arboriculture. It also means they fulfill yearly requirements to stay up-to-date on the latest and most effective arboreal practices. Regardless of whether or not you choose to work with us or not for an emergency situation (or any of your tree service needs), we hope that you (and your trees) stay happy, healthy, and safe in the coming summer! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
0 Comments
For this month’s Job Spotlight, we want to feature an oak tree with codominant stems that we cabled together for support as the tree continues to grow. These two stems (or "leaders") emerge from the same location on the trunk and have remained similar in size as the tree has grown, neither one dominating as the main tree trunk.  Trees with codominant stems are at a much higher risk for failure. As the tree continues to grow, bark will build up at the junction where the two leaders separate from the trunk. This "included bark" is not as strong as wood which creates a weak connection point at the "V" shaped union where the leaders come together. As the tree continues to grow, the weight and leverage of the two separate canopies can pull the tree apart like a giant wishbone. So what do we do?The most drastic option would be to remove the tree entirely. This is definitely the most expensive option, and oftentimes, customers don’t want to lose their tree if they don’t have to. In the Athens area specifically, many of our oak trees have been growing since the town itself was established. If you’re lucky enough to have one of these stately, mature trees in your yard, you’ll want to keep it there if at all possible. Another option would be to prune the limbs of the tree to reduce the canopy weight, thus decreasing the overall leverage acting at the union point. While this can work in some cases, it is by no means a long-term fix, as both leaders will continue to grow and need to be pruned again in the future. The final option, and the option we went with in this month’s Job Spotlight, is cabling. What is cabling?This process typically involves the installation of a cabling system between opposing portions of the tree in the upper canopy, usually between half-way and two-thirds of the overall height of the tree. Connecting portions of the upper canopy that are on opposite sides of the main union helps improve the structural integrity of the tree as a whole by decreasing the likelihood of a weather event causing a failure. Other reasons a tree might need to be cabled are due to a small root system, poor branching habits, split limbs, or even pruning or tree maintenance that was executed improperly in the past. Any of these instances can be aggravated into failure by strong winds or heavy rain.  In this case, we have a codominant tree with two leaders growing in opposite directions from each other. Cabling this tree requires connecting the two leaders together so they can support each other, rather than working against each other. The connection point is determined by a certified arborist to ensure the greatest level of support. How does it work?Cabling, as the name suggests, involves using cables, bolts, and brace rods. All the hardware used in this process is usually constructed of extra-high-strength steel to ensure that it can successfully support the tree and also stand up to the test of time and the elements. Once upon a time, this process involved drilling a hole into the tree, and then screwing large bolts into those holes for the cables to have an anchor. The number of bolts varies, but usually there’s a minimum of two: one where the tree needs support and one where that support is going to come from. The tree in this particular job had actually been cabled before, using this older method, however the tree grew around the bolt and the cable snapped, leaving the dual leaders with no support.
In the last few years, the method of cabling has changed; rather than using bolts with loops at the end to install cables, we use cable end stops, which look kind of like an old-fashioned telescoping camera lens. To use them, a small hole is drilled all the way through the target area, that being the dual leaders in this case. A cable is then ran through the small holes of both leaders, and one of the two cable end stops is attached to one end of the cable. Before attaching the second cable end stop, a roping system is used to pull the opposing leaders together so that the newly installed cable will be taught (no slack) but not tight. Pulling the two leaders too tight can have adverse affects on the system and the tree. The tree is cabled -- what happens next?
How do I know if my tree needs cabling?The decision to prune, cable, or remove a tree entirely depends on a wide range of factors, and we recommend that you always consult a certified arborist before you choose. An arborist will be able to consider the tree as whole and determine which limbs are vital to the tree’s structural integrity and should therefore be saved, and which can be pruned away. They will also be able to tell you when a tree presents too much of a risk or is simply too damaged and needs to be removed all together. In addition, a certified arborist is aware of and will adhere to the range of material and practical standards established by both the American National Standards Institute as well as the International Society of Arboriculture that are designed to ensure any and all tree work is executed safely, carefully, properly, and effectively. Any tree at risk for failure presents a danger to you, your family, your home, and your property, so if you suspect one of your trees might need work, give us a call! At Classic City Arborists, we offer free estimates. Scott will come out to look at your tree and let you know what his professional opinion is, as well as how much it should cost. Your safety and the safety of our community is our main priority. Whether or not you choose to work with us, we encourage you to seek professional advice and professional tree care! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. AuthorRebekah Rushing is a mother of two under four and the co-owner of Classic City Arborists. When she isn't dealing with snotty noses and dirty diapers, she manages customer service, accounting & finance, marketing & advertising, and human resources. If you have worked with us on a project, then you have undoubtedly spoken with her on the phone at least once! Check out our website, which she designed, or give us a call to speak with her directly. Back in December of 2015, I gave an estimate to a client for removing a sweetgum tree that had been dead for at least six months and it was evident that it was hollow at the base. The tree itself was not very large, but did stand about 80 feet tall with a 16 inch base and could still pose a threat to people and property due to the fact that. It was located within 5 feet of the driveway and 15 feet of the home. Some time had passed and I figured that the homeowner had found someone else to do the job for them. To my surprise, I received an email in April asking if my price would still be honored for removing the tree. I replied to the email stating that I would indeed honor the price given during the estimate as long as there were no distinct changes in the tree or job details. On May 4th, 2016, I arrived to remove the sweetgum tree. After evaluating the tree again, I decided that I could still remove the tree for the agreed upon price. Below are some picture of the tree before removal and during removal. I will discuss the photos in detail to better describe the process of removal and describe the importance of removing dead trees as soon as they are noticed. (Article Continued Below Slideshow) In short, It is of the utmost importance for safety of people, pets and property to remove dead trees as soon as they are identified. Even though we took precautions to account for the tree breaking as we removed it, sometimes accidents still happen. It is hard to predict what might happen as compounding forces act on a dead tree. If this tree had been taken out even a few months later, or not at all, it could have caused major harm to person or property. On the contrary, if the tree had been taken down in December, it might not have broken at all during removal. If you have identified dead or dying trees on your property, please have a certified arborist give you an estimate for removal and schedule the removal in due time. It's safer for you and the workers removing the tree and it could also save you money! Click Here to schedule your Free Estimate AuthorScott Rushing is a father, small business owner, and ISA-Certified Arborist. If you’ve done any work with us, then you’ve definitely met him! He holds a degree in Agricultural Education from UGA, and has over 10 years of experience in the tree service industry. When he’s not climbing trees, he is Daddy to two under four, both redheads like him, and likes to spend his time going on adventures with his family. If you’d like to schedule an estimate or get more information about the kind of work Scott does, check our website, blog, or feel free to give him a call! |
|
|
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24