Most trees that fall on houses gave warning signs first. You don't need to be an arborist to spot them — walk around your trees a couple of times a year and look for these.
1. Dead branches in the top of the tree
Trees usually die from the top down. Bare branches up high while the lower limbs still have leaves are a classic early sign, especially in ash trees hit by emerald ash borer.
2. Mushrooms or fungus at the base
Mushrooms, shelf-like "conks," or spongy wood around the trunk or roots mean something is rotting — often the roots that hold the tree up.
3. Cracks in the trunk
Deep vertical cracks or splits, especially where two big trunks meet in a tight V, are weak points that can fail in wind or ice.
4. A new lean
Some trees always lean — that's normal. A tree that starts leaning, especially after a storm, with cracked or lifted soil on one side, is a warning sign. Call someone quickly.
5. Bark falling off
Large patches of loose or missing bark, with bare wood underneath, often mean that part of the tree is dead.
6. Holes and woodpecker activity
Woodpeckers go where the bugs are. Lots of woodpecker damage, or tiny D-shaped holes in ash bark, point to insects inside the tree.
7. Hollow spots and cavities
Openings in the trunk, or a hollow sound when you knock on it, mean decay inside. How dangerous it is depends on how much solid wood is left.
8. Damaged roots
Roots cut by trenching, driveway work, or construction can kill a tree slowly — the damage often shows up 2–5 years later.
9. Leaves that come in small, late, or drop early
Thin, small, or yellowing leaves in the middle of summer, or a tree that leafs out weeks after its neighbors, are signs of stress.
What to do if you spot these
One sign doesn't always mean the tree has to go. Plenty of trees with a dead limb or two can be pruned and kept healthy. But if you see several of these signs, or any tree with problems is close enough to hit your home, have it looked at. Estimates are free, and dealing with a tree before it falls is much cheaper and safer than after.