We might take them for granted most of the time, but the trees around our homes and neighborhoods are an integral feature of the landscape. Usually, trees don’t require much special attention or treatment to look healthy and live a long life. But sometimes a tree will fall victim to a disease or insect infestation that can ravage whole forests and cause real damage to property, not to mention detract from the aesthetic appeal of the area. Other times, trees may simply grow in a direction that puts power lines, chimneys, roofs, or sidewalks at risk in the event a branch or limb falls.
Homeowners frequently turn to tree service companies with on-staff arborists for maintaining the health and size of trees, especially during this time of year, with winter storms just around the corner. Let’s say you’re looking for a tree service company. What should you look for? Exactly what services can they offer, and how can you make sure you’re hiring true professionals?
First of all, the tree service company you hire should always be licensed by the state and carry insurance worth at least the state minimum (more is better, in this case). This relieves homeowners or businesses of being held liable for injuries and damages incurred during or as a result of the project. Ask any tree service company in Baltimore to provide written copies of its license and a certificate of insurance; don’t hire any tree service “companies” which aren’t able to produce both documents.
Secondly, the best tree service companies will undoubtedly employee one or more specialists in tree care and maintenance, known as arborists. These professionals are trained in and skilled at assessing trees for disease, infestation, or potential damage from high winds or ice storms.
Arborists know how to prune the branches of a tree in such a way that removes any risk of damage while maintaining the health of the tree. This can include trimming or removing branches which have already been damaged by adverse weather; preemptive pruning to prevent the spread of disease or infection; and improving the overall structure of the tree to reduce wind resistance and safety. Don’t be afraid to inquire about the qualifications of the arborists at the various tree service companies you contact as you’re shopping around; if they’re worth your money, they’ll be more than eager to tell you.
Lastly, know what you’re getting yourself (and your trees) into before moving forward. Quality tree service companies should be able to give you a free initial quote based on what you require and what tree care strategies they intend to pursue. Also, don’t automatically hire the lowest bidder – make sure to check references and do some research before making a decision. You may be better off paying a little extra in return for a much better experience.
Fall will be here in just a few weeks, and in no time we’ll see trees drooping under the weight of ice after a winter storm. Make sure your family and your property is safe by finding a professional, well-regarded tree service company.
If you know some reputable and trustworthy tree service companies, please feel free to share that information below. Please list their contact information (website, phone number, service area) in the comment section below along with the business name and specific reasons why you have personally been impressed with their services. No spam comments, please – links within spam comments will be removed. I’m looking for real recommendations.
Randolf says
November 14, 2010 at 12:28 pmThis article doesn’t provide any options, why would you direct this to “Baltimore” and not list potential arborists? Useless.
Hannah says
June 21, 2011 at 9:38 amThe article did actually initially link to a company, but then the link was removed due to some underlying issues. If any other Baltimore arborist company would like to be linked to, leave a comment explaining why we should recommend your Baltimore Tree Service company over others that are available. Thanks!
Lillian Schaeffer says
August 4, 2016 at 12:37 pmThese are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to find a tree service that will provide an initial quote. One of my trees has several dead branches, and I’m worried that they’ll fall and injure someone or damage something. I’d like to have a professional come and take care of it, so I’ll definitely find someone who can provide an initial quote so I know exactly what services will be done and what I’ll be charged. Thanks for the great post!
Kate Hansen says
October 24, 2016 at 10:39 amThere are so many trees in my backyard it’s like a forest. This upcoming spring, I’d like to hire a tree service to help trim and take care of all of them. So I appreciate your tip about not automatically hiring the lowest bidder. I’ll be sure to check all the references of a potential service before I hire them. Thanks!
Danni Black says
December 2, 2016 at 12:11 pmI am so glad that I came across this article! My husband and I just moved into an older home with a lot of trees. One of them was damaged in a storm a few days ago so we are thinking about getting it removed. We will have to keep these tips in mind for the future, thanks for sharing!
Annika Larson says
March 2, 2017 at 7:27 pmWe are currently looking for a tree removal service to help us with some falling trees on our property. Of course, we want someone reliable that will provide quality service. Licensure, as you said, is a great way to ensure this. Thanks for sharing!
Olivia Nelson says
April 17, 2017 at 7:14 pmI agree that you need to find an arborist that is licensed. It would seem important to check these qualifications before you actually hire them. I’m looking for a tree service to help me take down a few trees so I’ll have to find one that is licensed.
Max Jones says
May 10, 2017 at 11:21 amIn the past, I’ve always done my own type of tree service, but after a bad experience last year, I want to hire a professional this spring. I like that you pointed out that an arborist knows how to prune and cut trees to remove damage and maintain the health of the tree. Choosing a tree service who can help our trees stay healthy is really important, because I almost killed my wife’s favorite tree last year! Thanks for the help!
Amanda Drew says
August 29, 2017 at 4:27 pmThanks for letting me know that any arborist you hire should have at least, if not more, than the state minimum insurance. There’s a really big tree in my yard, and I think it might be dead. I’m worried that if it fell it would damage my property or my neighbor’s. Your tips should really help me find an arborist so that I can get it safely removed.
Zachary Tomlinson says
October 3, 2017 at 11:48 amThanks for the useful info! I’ve just moved into a house with a garden which I need to bring in order, so I’m looking for a tree service company. My favourite part is about checking state licence and insurance in order to be sure of the quality of the work. Now I know what I ask the specialist at first order to get rid of these pests.
gloria durst says
November 7, 2017 at 6:21 pmI appreciate that you would want to make sure to find a tree service that employs an arborist. It would seem that an arborist would be good because they would probably know how to trim your trees. My sister needs a few tree limbs taken down, so she’ll have to find a service with a licensed arborist.
Jordan Miner says
February 27, 2018 at 6:08 pmI’ve been wanting to find a good tree service. I’m glad you talked about how arborists know how to prune a tree. I’m going to have to look at some different tree services and see what I can find!
Ridley Fitzgerald says
April 13, 2018 at 7:18 pmIt’s great to know how to find an arborist. We want to hire someone to come and trim our maple trees because they are getting out of hand. I’ll be sure to hire someone who is licensed by the state, like you said! That seems important.
Millie Hue says
April 19, 2018 at 6:26 pmI’ve never heard about an arborist until now. So it appears that these specialists are the experts in assessing diseases, infestations, and other damages that happen in a tree. The tree in my grandmother’s backyard seems to be unhealthy since the last time that I’ve visited until now. Knowing about this information, I’ll make sure to look for a tree service company that has an arborist.
Hannah Neilson says
May 7, 2018 at 9:54 pmThanks for the advice about considering what kind of specialization a tree service has. Finding someone who is experienced with the problems you need to address would be really helpful. My husband and I are looking for a tree service, so we’ll have to consider their specialization first.
Hannah Neilson says
May 8, 2018 at 10:59 pmThanks for the tip about considering if a tree service is licensed by the state. It would be good to consider this because it would show that they are qualified. My husband and I are looking for a tree removal service, so we’ll have to check their license first.
Caden Dahl says
May 21, 2018 at 11:14 amThanks for bringing to my attention that trimming damaged branches could help to keep a tree healthy. My area had a really crazy windstorm last week, and one of my trees had several branches break off. I think there are a few more that were damaged but didn’t fall off. Maybe I should have a professional come and trim those down so the tree can focus on growing strong limbs and can be healthier.
Gary Puntman says
June 5, 2018 at 10:46 amI agree that the tree service you choose should always be licensed by the state. You should double check to make sure they have the right licensing according to state requirements. I’ll have to make sure that’s the first thing I look for when I find someone to trim my trees this spring.
Jocelyn McDonald says
June 13, 2018 at 9:29 amMy husband and I moved into a home with a few sickly trees in the yard, and we’re looking to remove them so they don’t fall on our home. Your article had some great tips for choosing a good tree removal service, and I really liked your point to choose a company that is licensed by the state and has at least the state minimum of insurance. Thanks for the helpful post; we’ll keep this advice in mind when choosing the tree service best for us.
Jordan Miner says
June 13, 2018 at 8:34 pmMy wife and I have been wanting to get a tree service, and I think that being able to get some tips would be nice. I like that you talked about how you want to be able to get someone who will be able to give you and your trees a good experience. I’m going to have to look for a good tree removal service and see what we can find!
Millie Hue says
June 29, 2018 at 1:34 amIt really helped when you said that we should hire an insured tree expert since it will give us a peace of mind that any damage or injuries will be taken care of. We needed to hire an arborist because our neighbor told us that our tree seems that it needs to be trimmed. Our neighbor is a tree and plant lover, so I guess that explains why he has an idea whether the plant needs to be serviced or not. Thanks!
Ellen Hughes says
July 10, 2018 at 7:29 pmI do like that you talked about the importance of choosing a tree service that’s licensed and insured to make sure that you won’t be held liable for damaged that may occur during your project. My husband and I are looking to remove some of the trees in our yard that look like will fall anytime because we want to ensure the safety of our children. We know that accidents are inevitable, so we want to have peace of mind that we’ll be protected should anything happen to the tree removal company that we will hire.
Ridley Fitzgerald says
July 16, 2018 at 8:46 pmIt’s good to know how to find a tree service. I like how you said that the best ones have one or more arborist in their employ. We need some help taking care of the huge oak in our yard, so having an arborist come would be great.
Arya Smith says
July 24, 2018 at 8:18 pmIt really helped when you said that arborists are well-trained in handling tree issues, so it is a must to hire a company with these professionals. I will definitely look for this tomorrow morning. We just needed to get the tree in front of our house removed because it might cause accidents when it suddenly falls. It has been inclining towards the road already. Thanks for the information!
Jocelyn McDonald says
August 10, 2018 at 9:54 amMy husband and I just moved into a home with scraggly looking trees, and I think they’re in need of some trimming. Your article had some great tips for choosing a tree service that could help with this, and I liked how you said to make sure you hire at least one or two aborists as well, as these are basically tree doctors and can find our about any disease or potential damage to a tree so it can be treated. Thanks for the help; we’ll keep this in mind when choosing a tree service for our home.
Taylor Anderson says
August 14, 2018 at 11:35 amI have a huge Box Elder tree, and I’ve been wanting to have it trimmed, as the branches are touching the roof. Of course, I’ll need a tree service to help me. Thanks for the great advice to make sure the tree service I hire is licensed and carries insurance, as it will protect you should property or people get injured. These tips will help me out a lot, so I’ll be sure to keep them in mind!
Malia Davis says
August 21, 2018 at 1:06 pmIt’s good that you mentioned not just going with the lowest bidder automatically when selecting an arborist. You never know, the extra money you spend could just make the experience that much better for you. I really want my yard to look its very best going into the fall season, so I am willing to pay a little bit extra to have a good quality tree trim. I’ll be sure to do enough research so that I go with the best option!
Malia Davis says
September 5, 2018 at 2:21 pmThat’s a good point that fall is almost here and that it’s important to make sure everything is in order with the trees in your yard. We have 4 large trees in our backyard, and I want to get them trimmed so that they will be ready to grow in the summer. We really need them to grow so that there is more shade, and I’ve heard pruning them can really help growth. I’ll have to get this done before fall sets in.
Mark Murphy says
September 13, 2018 at 2:13 pmI never knew that ice on trees can actually lead to excess weight on your trees and eventually damage! My wife and I recently moved into a neighborhood that can get very cold, and we don’t want any of the more fragile branches to break. I will be sure to contact an arborist that can help us cut down our excess branches!
Sophia James says
September 16, 2018 at 7:16 pmI love that you talked about how hiring a licensed and insured arborist is advisable. Like you said, it will give you peace of mind that the procedure will be done safely, and you will not be liable in any issue during the project. I will definitely look this up so that I will be assured that the damage that might occur will be covered. We just need to have the tree behind our house to be pruned since it will reach the roof and damage it soon.
Jocelyn McDonald says
October 1, 2018 at 10:38 amMy husband and I just moved to a home with a lot of overgrown trees, and we want to hire someone that will help us trim them to make them look nice. Your article is just what we were looking for, and I liked how you said to choose a tree service that is licensed through the state and carries at least the state minimum of insurance. This way we wont be held liable for any damages or injuries, and we’ll keep this in mind when choosing the tree service best for us.
Sharon Wilson-Smith says
October 12, 2018 at 11:03 pmI do like that you talked about the importance of choosing a tree care company that’s licensed and insured to make sure that you will have an assurance that your yard is going to be protected from damages. This is something that I will make sure to remember because I’m planning to have our trees trimmed. I wanted to ensure that we won’t end up spending more should inevitable accidents happen. Thanks for sharing this.
Jocelyn McDonald says
October 16, 2018 at 9:17 amMy husband and I just moved to a new home that has several large, overgrown trees in the yard, and we want to remove a free as they seem like safety hazards. Your article had some great tips for choosing a tree service that could help us with this, and I liked how you said to choose a company that employs at least one or more specialist in tree care known as an aborist. These professional are trained and skilled in tree care, and we’ll keep this in mind when choosing the tree service best for our needs.
Ellen H. says
October 17, 2018 at 12:51 amI like that you pointed out the importance of hiring a tree service that’s licensed and insured to make sure that you won’t be held liable for injuries when they are in your property. We’re looking to have some of our diseased trees removed. We know that accidents can be inevitable because of falling trees, so we’d like to protect ourselves when we hire a tree service. Thanks!
Jocelyn McDonald says
January 4, 2019 at 8:56 amMy husband and I just moved onto a property with several large, unruly trees in desperate need of pruning. Your article had some great tips to help use choose someone to help us with this issue, and I liked how you said that a quality tree service will provide a free initial quote based on what we require and what strategies they plan to use. Thanks; we’ll keep this in mind when choosing the bets tree service for our needs.
Hazel Owens says
March 25, 2019 at 10:28 pmThat’s good to know that a good tree company will employ one or more arborists. This is helpful since I’m looking for a service to help me with my apple tree to make sure it blooms. I’ll have to call around and find a service that has an arborist so I know they can take care of my tree correctly.
Braden Bills says
March 28, 2019 at 9:33 amMy trees need to get pruned, and I’m not sure how to go about that. It makes sense that I would want to get a professional to help me out with this! I’ll make sure that I get someone who is properly licensed for this kind of work.
Ridley Fitzgerald says
March 29, 2019 at 4:22 pmIt’s great to know more about hiring an arborist. I love how you said that it’s good to check their license. We’ll do that as we hire someone to trim our tree.
Jocelyn McDonald says
April 2, 2019 at 12:04 pmMy husband and I want to trim some of the overgrown trees in our yard, and your article had some great tips for choosing a service that could help us with this. I liked how you said to shop around for different contractors and ask what their qualifications are so we know they can safely trim trees. Thanks; we’ll keep this in mind when choosing a tree service.
Sam Li says
April 4, 2019 at 4:58 pmI agree with what you said about quality tree services and how they should offer accurate quotes. Removing a tree can be a dangerous process, so it’s important to hire a tree company that uses proper safety procedure. My buddy is looking to remove a pine tree from his front lawn, so I’ll suggest he contact a business that has access to the right equipment for the job.