Category: Tree

How to Keep Your Trees Healthy and Upright

10/24/2019

They’re trees. And as with so many things in life, proper maintenance is critical. Keeping your trees healthy will allow you to continue to enjoy them and their benefits — one of which is providing enough oxygen for four people every day!

Maintenance also will reduce the risk of a tree falling on your home or your car (or even worse, someone else’s home or car).

Here are some tips from the National Arbor Day Foundation to help keep trees healthy, identify warning signs and address problems. A healthy tree that you care for properly — and regularly — is far less likely to become a hazard. Remember, prevention is key!

Inspect your trees often This applies to all seasons! The sooner you spot a problem, the sooner you can take corrective action — and potentially save your tree. Check trees regularly each year, and have a qualified arborist inspect them annually.

Plant the right species Brittle trees can produce weak limbs that fall and injure people or property. Examples include Silver Maples, Lombardy Poplars, Box Elders, and Willows.

Prune the right way, at the right time Trees should first be pruned when they are young, and then at regular intervals as they age. Make the cut outside the branch collar, and never allow trees to be topped.

Plant in the right place Don’t plant trees that will grow to be large close to your home or under power lines.

Learn to spot problems According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, there are several key things to consider when evaluating your trees for potential issues.

The tree’s history: Has it been topped? Have branches broken? Have large limbs been lost unexpectedly?
Branch quality: Dead limbs are dangerous — they can fall easily and are a big red flag. Take prompt action. If you see branches that cross or rub, prune as soon as possible, because that can lead to weak spots.
Appearance: Vigorous trees can be determined by the amount of leaf cover, as well as the color, size and condition of its leaves. If a tree’s trunk is forked, that’s a signal of weakness.
Decay: If you see cavities, disfiguration or fungi on the trunk, large branches or roots, this may indicate decay. It doesn’t automatically mean that a tree is a hazard, but it means you should closely monitor it. If there’s a large amount of sound wood surrounding internal rot, for example, the tree may still be safe.

If you have a dead or dying tree, it should be promptly removed unless it is in an area where structures or people won’t be threatened. And have an expert do the job — bringing down a large tree is extremely dangerous, and accidents can result in severe damage, injury, and even death.

The law typically holds the owner responsible for damage or injury caused by a defective tree. So don’t forget about them when you’re working in the yard or examining your landscaping. Keeping your trees healthy can limit the potential for disaster — in addition to keeping your space beautiful and vibrant.

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Home (and Safe) for the Holidays

12/18/2018

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3 Steps Homeowners Can Take to Stay Safe This Holiday Season

The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most dangerous. The United States Fire Administration reported that structure fires, and the dollar loss per fire, is nearly one-third higher between December 1 and January 7. On Christmas Day alone, the incidence of fires caused by candles quadruples compared to any other day of the year.

The holidays can also be a peak time of year for home burglaries as many police departments across the country list the week after Christmas as the highest burglary caseload. You can escape these worst-case scenarios with common sense and a little forethought. To keep your home safe and secure this holiday season, here are three simple rules.

1. Don’t Leave the Kitchen Unattended
One of the leading causes of fires during the holidays isn’t Christmas trees or Christmas lights—it’s cooking. While cooking-related fires are most common on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve aren’t far behind.
Home fires occur in the kitchen more than any other room in the house. Make sure that you have a smoke alarm near the kitchen and that the batteries are in working order before you begin your holiday meal preparations.
If you follow the rule of never leaving the stove or oven unattended, you can avoid a potentially dangerous situation. Distractions are inevitable when your extended family arrives for Christmas Day festivities. Adding an extra set of hands to assist with cooking can help mitigate the risk of a potential fire hazard.

2. Mind Your Festive Lights
Even if you follow all instructions, like making sure that the base of your Christmas tree is always submerged in water, you are still at risk for a fire if you don’t manage your Christmas lights safely. To lower your risk of a fire, always follow these light-safety tips:

Use low heat, miniature lights.
Inspect every light before you put a strand on the tree.
Refrain from overloading power strips or outlets.
Use lights designated for indoor use only.

Christmas-tree lights should be treated like an open flame. Never leave them on when no one is home, and always turn them off before you go to bed.
Outdoor lights are a little more complex—and just as dangerous. Keep these basic guidelines in mind when setting up your display:

Never set up your lights by yourself.
Never place lights by gutters that might contain dry leaves.
Never hang decorations from the lights.
Never rely on strands of lights to support themselves—reinforce them with insulated, not wire or metal, hooks.
Never use lights that haven’t been tested and verified by a group such as Underwriters Laboratory.
Never ignore warm wires on your daily lights check.

Just like indoor lights, the most important step you need to take with outdoor lights is to turn them off before you go to bed, and when you are not at home.

3. Don’t Leave Your Home (and Gifts) Vulnerable
Leaving your house clearly unattended is an open invitation for burglars. If you plan on going out of town, even for a day or two, follow these simple rules:

Hire someone—a contractor, a neighbor kid—to keep your driveway shoveled.
Arrange for a neighbor to collect mail, newspapers or any packages left on your doorstep.
Let trusted neighbors know of your travel plans, but do not post your plans—or photos—on social media.

It’s tempting to display beautifully wrapped presents under the tree prior to the holiday but, if your tree is within sight of any windows, you may want to keep your gifts hidden until the day you’re unwrapping them. Burglars often monitor homes, looking in windows for easily accessible items like large presents in the shape of a television.
Even if you’re staying home this holiday season, you still need to take steps to defend your home against burglars:

Do not place your presents under a brightly lit Christmas tree; keep them safely undercover until Christmas morning.
If you are expecting deliveries—especially expensive gifts, such as a television—make sure that they are signed for and brought inside immediately.
Conceal all packaging and boxes in dark trash or recycling bags, or organize the boxes inside your house and take them to the trash in the weeks after Christmas. You don’t want to show the entire street what everyone in your home received for Christmas.

Get Peace of Mind This Holiday Season from Auto-Owners Insurance
This holiday season is the perfect time to check with your insurance agent to confirm that you are protected against everything that could go wrong. The independent agents are experts at seeing gaps in your home insurance coverage that could leave you and your home vulnerable. For example, what if gifts are stolen from the trunk of your car while it’s parked in your driveway? Is that covered?

Your insurance agent can answer all these home insurance questions and give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your home and your presents are protected this holiday season.

for more information, please visit Auto-Owners' blog.

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How to Keep Your Trees Healthy and Upright

Home (and Safe) for the Holidays

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