5 Signs It’s Time to Cut Down a Tree

Madison Ragsdale • February 2, 2021

Trees add beauty to your property, provide shade, and create a unique climbing tower. So, deciding to cut down a tree can be a difficult decision. How do you know when—or if—your tree needs to be cut down? While a State College tree service will be able to officially determine if your tree needs to be removed, there are several indicators that even nonprofessionals can spot.


The list below will help you identify some telltale warning signs.

1)   Dead or Dying

Besides detracting from the appearance of your yard, a dead tree is a serious safety risk. Dead trees weaken over time, so the longer they remain standing, the more likely they are to fall without warning.

State College tree service dead/dying tree


Signs of a dead/dying tree include:

  • vertical cracks on the trunk
  • tree loses its leaves before the fall season
  • damaged roots
  • tree develops a lean (indicates that the root structure is not supportive)
  • bark beetles and carpenter ants (signal that the tree is rotting inside)

Cutting down a dead tree is necessary for your safety, the health of your yard, and the protection of your property. However, because of the increased safety risks with dead tree removal, it's best to leave removal to Lock Haven, Boalsburg, Bellefonte, or other local tree service professionals.

2)   Sick/Diseased

State College tree service sick tree

If you notice that your tree seems stressed, a disease may be the underlying cause. Calling a State College or other local arborist is advisable, as they will inspect your tree, recommend treatment options, and determine whether it needs to be removed.


Signs of a sick or diseased tree include:

  • lot of leaves dropping out of season
  • leaf discoloration or shriveled leaves
  • rotting trunk (indicates a bacteria infestation)
  • damaged roots
  • peeling bark (if not typical of your tree)
  • weak/falling branches (without storm damage or any external factor)

While falling branches can signal that your tree is stressed, it’s not always a reliable symptom. Sudden Branch Drop Syndrome is an unexplained phenomenon that describes how older, healthy trees drop branches without warning. Trees prone to this syndrome include eucalyptus, beech, elm, oak, and sycamore, and the branches are typically dropped in warmer months. Before you decide to cut down a tree that’s dropping branches, get an arborist inspection.

3)   Invasive Roots

A tree’s roots spread around 2-3 times the radius of its canopy, meaning a large tree can have a long reach. Roots can damage the foundation of your house, driveway, and sidewalks, hit sewage lines or water pipes, and interfere with your landscape. Tree roots can also be a trip hazard. A tree with invasive roots needs to be cut down to prevent injuries and property damage.

4)   Fungus Growth

Fungi severely impact the health and stability of a tree, harming its foliage, trunk, and root system. Fungicide treatments can be beneficial, but you’ll need a State College tree service professional to evaluate the extent of the damage before investing in treatment.

State College tree service diseases

Several serious infections to look out for include:

  • Leaf blight (pictured above): scorched appearance of leaves most common in sycamore, dogwood, maple, hickory, walnut, birch, oak, and ash trees
  • Black knot: disease on trunk, identifiable by a large black growth around infested branches
  • Wilts: large sections of leaves turn brown prematurely, caused by fungi blocking the water flow to the tree crown
  • Root rot: mushrooms growing around the base of the tree signal root damage

5)   Pest Infestation

Pests such as caterpillars and aphids threaten the health of surrounding trees and crops, while scorpions and snakes pose a serious safety risk. If a pest infestation endangers the health of you or your yard, cutting down the pest-harboring tree is advisable.

Attempting to cut down a tree on your own can endanger yourself, your loved ones, and your property. It’s best to leave tree removal to the professionals. We advise hiring a certified arborist to evaluate the health of your tree and provide tree removal services. Check out our trusted partners to find quality tree services from Lock Haven to Willamsport.

Many of our trusted partners prefer to provide the tree work and leave the stump grinding process to our team of stump removal experts.

Need stump removal services? Call us at (814) 883-9444 or fill out the online inquiry form to get a free quote.

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