While snowy branches can look stunning, they can hide some scary risks for your house. Freezing weather puts massive stress on trees. If a heavy ice storm comes, a tree that looked perfectly fine in the summer can quickly become a major threat to your roof or your power lines. Many people do not realize that wood becomes more brittle when it is cold. Because of this, it will snap more easily under pressure. Taking some time to look at your trees can help you avoid expensive repairs.

Beware of the Heavy Burden of Ice and Snow

Ice is incredibly heavy. Even a thin layer can increase the weight of a branch by 30 times its normal load. When freezing rain coats a tree, the wood has to bend to accommodate that extra weight. However, frozen wood does not like to bend very much. If you see branches hanging much lower than usual after a storm, they are likely at their breaking point. Do not try to mitigate this problem by knocking ice off a branch with a broom. The sudden vibration could cause the frozen wood to shatter and fall right on top of you.

Check Your Trees for Decay

Since the leaves are gone, winter is the best time to determine the structural health of your trees. Look for large cracks in the main trunk or deep V-shaped unions where two large branches meet. If you notice mushrooms or shelf-like fungi growing out of the bark, it is a clear sign that the tree is rotting from the inside out. The tree is hollow and weak. This makes it more likely to topple should strong winds come along. When this happens, property damage and severe injury can result.

Know the Danger of Frozen Soil and Heaving

We often forget about what is happening underground since the action is hidden from our view. However, the freeze-and-thaw cycle can pull a tree right up out of the dirt. When water in the soil freezes, it expands and can lift the roots upward. This process is called frost heaving.

If you see the ground around a tree trunk cracking or lifting, the roots are losing their grip on the earth. A tree with loose roots is extremely dangerous during a winter gale because it lacks the anchor is needs to stay upright. You can check for this by looking at the base of your trees after a big thaw to see if the soil looks disturbed or if the tree has developed a slight lean that was not there previously.

If you notice any trouble, seek the help of a trained and experienced arborist. They can swiftly remove the dangers to keep your home and everyone who lives there safe. To protect your Kalamazoo, MI home and family this winter, call Five Star Tree Solutions for emergency tree service at the first sign of trouble.