A home’s appearance is worth about 5-10% of that property’s value. Even something as simple as a dead tree can not only bring down a single property value but all the properties near it. 

Most homeowners try to avoid bringing their property value down. This requires diligent maintenance of the properties exterior, which includes removing invasive, undesirable flora and flora that might not be doing so well. 

A dead tree can impact the appearance of your home. If you suspect a dead tree is making a negative impact on your property value or creating an unsafe condition, use these four tips to learn how to tell if a tree is dead and ready to remove.

How to Tell If a Tree Is Dead?

A dead tree is an immediate eyesore for any property. Ideally, a home should look prosperous and full of life — not dead. If you suspect there’s a dead tree impacting your property, look for the four symptoms listed below. 

1. It Is Dropping Wood

Deadwood is never a good sign. However, it may not mean that the tree is dead. It’s just a serious sign that the tree is attempting to conserve resources and can no longer provide for the branches and limbs that it drops. 

These areas are also the most unsafe. They are likely to drop anytime and can injure anyone nearby. Make sure to regularly inspect your trees to determine if there’s any deadwood that needs to be removed immediately. 

2. It Has Cankers

Canker sores aren’t just for humans, but trees as well. They are also signs of disease — however, they’re much more deadly than the human canker. 

A bacterial or fungal infection can cause an arboreal canker sore. It can sink deep into a tree and eventually kill it if not dealt with in a timely manner. They usually present as holes with missing bark.

3. It Is Decaying

A decaying tree is dying, but it often doesn’t present on the outside of the tree until its too late. If spores are growing along the tree, or wood is mysteriously missing, it’s likely that the tree is falling apart from the inside out due to decay.

4. It Fails the Scratch Test 

The scratch test is the best and easiest way to determine if a tree has expired. Just beneath the hard, dark exterior bark should be a layer of healthy, green bark. If this bark is dry and brown, it’s a sign that the tree may be dead. 

Make sure to check more than one area of the tree to determine if other areas are living or dead.

Help With a Dead Tree

After reading these four tips, you know how to tell if a tree is dead. Once you’ve identified the dead tree, you can take the next step. Contact a professional to remove the tree so you can make room for a more attractive flora. 

Remember, a dead tree isn’t just an aesthetic problem, but a safety one.

Make sure to ask our tree removal professionals for a free quote to help you improve your property value and safety.