Extreme weather can cause damage to not only your home but the nature around you, especially if you live in Oklahoma. Sometimes, it’s difficult to know what kind of weather to expect here, so you want to be as prepared as possible.

The ice storm that hit Oklahoma was devastating to properties, roads, businesses, electrical lines, and more. When natural disasters like this occur, it’s crucial to ask how you can better plan for the next. Making sure that trees stay trimmed is a small way to prevent even more damage.

Alive vs. dead trees

Keep in mind that keeping trees trimmed is not the same as cutting them down. The environment needs trees, and trees help protect your home, but to cut them down entirely out of fear is not necessary. 

However, you should remove dead trees because they can be hazardous to people and property, so be sure to take necessary precautions. If you don’t know how to identify a dead tree, here are a few signs to look for:

• Brittle branches
• Mushroom or fungal growth
• Peeling bark 
• Leaning trunk

What to do

It is best to hire a professional whether you are trimming a good tree or completely cutting down a dead tree. Hiring a professional helps avoid any potential injuries, which happen more often than some people would think. People work in this field to help you, so it’s best to let them.

When you hire people to trim or cut down a tree, the most important thing to do is make sure they have insurance. You want to be prepared in case anything were to happen, and you most definitely don’t want a lawsuit.

Tree damage can be dangerous and harmful to both you and your property, which is why keeping your trees trimmed is so crucial. Routine maintenance on your property’s trees can only be beneficial and help you prepare for any kind of weather that nature decides to throw at you!