Winter storms sweep through Oregon a few times a year, often leaving destruction in their wake. By the time you can head outside, you might find trees tipped over with their roots exposed or branches sprawled across your lawn. Before you worry about the next storm passing through, discover four ways to deal with possible damage to your trees.

Inspect Trees for Damage

While it’s easy to worry and even freak out, things often look worse than they are. Once it’s safe to head outside, check your trees for any signs of damage. The top things to look for include broken branches, missing patches of bark on trunks, broken trees, and missing or cracked branches. If you see snow still sitting on top of the branches and trees, leave it alone. It should warm up enough to melt the ice naturally. Trying to knock the snow off yourself may result in even more damage.

Use Deicer With Caution

Deicer is a chemical product that melts ice and snow chemicals. It’s safe to use on most surfaces like your driveway or porch. The problem is that the chemicals can also damage your trees. Don’t attempt to remove snow from your trees with it. Also, use caution when applying it around the trees, as it can kill them. Try gently shaking the tree right after the storm to remove some of the buildup.

Eliminate Lawn Hazards

Though Oregon doesn’t get a lot of snow, the temperature does drop every winter. The low temperature and local storms can cause a thin film of ice to freeze across the top of your lawn. This makes it hard to see the hazards you would otherwise see, like broken branches lying on the ground. Using salt is a good way to get rid of some of the ice. You can then look for hazards and remove them. Even moving broken branches to another part of your yard until the spring thaw will go a long way toward keeping your household and visitors safe.

Find the Right Help

Finding help is the best thing to do when winter storms damage your trees. Arborists know what to look for and how to handle any type of damage. Another benefit is that they can do the work while you relax inside. Just make sure you hire someone who has experience working in the winter and knows about local trees like the Bigleaf Maple and Red Alder.

When a storm hits your home, take care of hazards, inspect your trees, use a deicer or salt, and call in the pros. If you live in the Salem, OR area and need help this winter with tree removal or cleanup, reach out to our team at Altar Tree Service.