Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, and in Houston the trees in your own yard are often the biggest risk to your roof, your fence, and your car. The good news is that most trees that fail in a storm were showing warning signs long before the wind picked up.
Start with deadwood. Dead branches are brittle and light, and they're the first thing to come down in high wind. You can usually spot them from the ground: no leaves in summer, bark peeling away, or a lighter, grey color compared to the living branches around them.
Next, look at how the tree is leaning and what's under it. A tree that has always leaned slightly is often fine. A tree that has started leaning recently, or has cracked soil and lifted roots on one side, is a different story and should be looked at soon.
Check where limbs sit over the house. Branches resting on or hanging just above the roof will scrape shingles in any wind and can punch through in a real storm. Pulling them back several feet from the roofline is simple, inexpensive work compared to a roof repair.
Finally, think about the crown. A dense canopy catches wind like a sail. Thinning, done correctly, lets wind pass through without stripping the tree. Topping, cutting the tree flat across, does the opposite: the regrowth is weakly attached and more likely to break. If you want a second set of eyes before the season peaks, we're happy to walk your yard and give you a clear, no-pressure price.