State Auto Insurance Company provides homeowners with information to identify trees that may pose a danger. Trees should be inspected for branches that touch power lines, hang over homes, or show signs of weakness like cracks or decay. Mushrooms growing at the base of a tree indicate rotting and decay that makes the tree more likely to fall during storms. Homeowners are advised to remove dangerous trees and branches before they cause property damage.

1. SIGNS OF A
DANGEROUS TREE IN
YOUR YARD
By State Auto Insurance Company

2. Introduction
 The State Auto Insurance Company in Columbus,
Ohio, provides coverage options to individuals all over
the United States. Powered by 2,400 company
associates and 3,000 agents across the country, State
Auto Insurance Company provides customers with the
latest knowledge needed to avoid unnecessary
damage and expenses.
Every year, home and business owners in the United
States pay millions of dollars in damage as a result of
falling trees and tree branches. In order to minimize
the damage a falling tree can cause, individuals
should check for a few key warning signs. Limbs that
contact or come close to touching power cables
should be trimmed by a professional.

3. Dangerous Tree in Your Yard
 Similarly, any significant branch hanging over the
house or other valuable areas of the property should
be considered for removal. Any heavy branches
showing cracks or weakness may also need to be
removed, as they can become mobile during a storm.
Cracks in a tree’s trunk present the same danger to a
home as a cracked limb. While a tree with a hollow
may look picturesque, such a feature further weakens
the integrity of the tree and can lead to a costly fall.
Finally, mushrooms growing around the base or trunk
of a tree are the result of decay and rot. A decaying
tree is far more likely to cave during strong winds—
and therefore fall.