Imagine walking outside after a storm and hearing the sickening crack of a falling tree. No one wants that call from their neighbor or an insurance agent. The good news: trees that come down in wind events almost always showed warning signs months — sometimes years — beforehand.

The four things to inspect twice a year

A simple spring and fall walk-around catches the vast majority of failures.

Look at the base

Soil cracking or heaving opposite a lean = the root plate is moving. Urgent.
Mushrooms or conks at the trunk base = internal decay. Get a closer look.
Exposed roots that look papery or rotten = the anchor is failing.

Look at the trunk

Vertical cracks longer than a few inches.
Cavities big enough to put your fist into.
Old wounds that never sealed over.

Look up at the crown

Dead branches larger than your wrist — these are widow-makers.
Crossing or co-dominant stems with included bark — these split in wind.
Asymmetric or unbalanced canopy — leverage matters when the gusts hit.

Look at the species

Some species (poplar, willow, silver maple, cottonwood) just fail more often than others. Old specimens of these in high-target areas — over the house, the play structure, the driveway — deserve professional inspection.

When in doubt

Send us a photo. We’d rather walk your property and tell you everything is fine than get called after the wind storm.