Most hazard trees give warning signs before they fail. The problem is that homeowners do not always know what they are looking at until a certified arborist points it out.
A sudden lean, especially one that appears after a storm, can mean the root system has partially failed even if the tree still looks upright and healthy from a distance. Root heaving, where soil visibly lifts near the base, is another sign the root plate is losing its grip. Deep cracks or seams running vertically in the bark can indicate internal decay or structural weakness that is not visible from the outside.
None of these signs guarantee a tree is about to come down, but all of them are worth a professional assessment rather than a wait-and-see approach.
Are there any trees on your property you have been keeping an eye on but have not had checked out yet?
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Authentic photo from a job site showing one of these warning signs, such as visible root heaving or a bark seam, ideally from an actual assessment.
Canva text suggestion: "Know the Warning Signs" or "Leaning, Heaving, Cracked: What to Watch For"