Hollow Tree

Salas Services was called out to this homeowner's property to remove a large Pecan Tree in order for the property owners to build an addition onto their home.

During the analysis of the tree we noticed a hole at the top of the tree where animals were entering and exiting into the tree, indicating that part of it was hollow. When we climbed up into the tree, we noticed we could actually look all the way down into it due to a large hollow hole that traveled all the way from the top to it's trunk. Over time water had made the tree vulnerable to animals burrowing into it's weakened areas, causing hollow tunnels for water to travel through it, and in turn causing the tree to weaken and die.

The homeowner had disclosed that the tree, which had stood for over 60 years, had stopped producing pecans years before. This would have been an indicator that the tree was sick and dying. What we discovered once we started the tree's removal was that the homeowner was very lucky that the tree, which stood less than five feet away, hadn't fallen onto their home. Because the life support tissue of a tree is on the outer edges of the trunk, many trees will live for years with a hollow trunk. This can be dangerous though when the trunk's strength is compromised. Basic Rule of Thumb is that if one-third of the interior of the tree is hollow or rotten, it probably should be removed, otherwise you could be dealing with a fallen tree onto your home.