That day in a Denver parking lot changed how I assess storms

I was checking a damaged maple behind a strip mall off Colfax last June. The client wanted me to save it, but I noticed a 6-inch crack in the main fork that had been there for years. I ended up recommending removal because that crack was past the point of cabling. Now I always look for old wounds like that before quoting any storm cleanup.

2 comments

2 Comments

theabarnes3d ago

Yeah that's the thing with cracks like that. People don't realize those are ticking time bombs, especially after a few freeze-thaw cycles. I've started checking branch unions on every single tree now, even if the client only called about wind damage.

matthewgonzalez3d ago

You're overthinking it honestly. @theabarnes most cracks are just surface deep and never cause real problems. I've seen trees with splits running halfway down the trunk that are still standing 10 years later. Nature's a lot more resilient than we give it credit for and freeze-thaw cycles don't always make things worse sometimes they actually seal up over time. Plus poking around every union on every tree just guarantees you'll find something to bill for whether it matters or not.