Tree Services guides

25 guides for Pennsylvania homeowners. Every guide lists its sources.

Pennsylvania guides

How much does tree removal, trimming or stump grinding cost in Pennsylvania?

Price ranges from two cost surveys for removal, trimming and stump grinding, the factors behind them, and what a fair comparison of quotes looks like.

How to choose a tree service in Pennsylvania: insurance, credentials and red flags

Tree work is among the most dangerous jobs. How to check liability and workers' compensation cover, what arborist credentials mean, and which offers to turn down.

Questions to ask a tree service before you hire, and the answers to listen for

A checklist of questions for a tree service, from the insurance certificate to the cleanup, with what official and professional sources say a good answer looks like.

Signs a tree needs an arborist: dead limbs, cracks, decay and pests

What dead wood, cracks, fungi, thinning crowns, storm hangers and pest damage can mean, which signs call for a professional, and which are less alarming than they look.

Can you trim or remove a tree yourself, or should you hire a professional?

Small pruning from the ground, mulching and stump decay are homeowner jobs. Climbing, chainsaws in the canopy, storm damage and anything near a wire are not. Here is why.

How often should trees be pruned or inspected, and what is the best time of year?

A yearly look and a pruning cycle of several years for mature trees, more frequent shaping for young ones, and the seasons to choose or avoid for each kind of work.

What happens during tree removal or pruning, from the estimate to the cleanup

The steps of a tree removal or pruning job, what a professional crew prepares for on the day, what happens to the wood and stump, and how to judge the finished work.

Do tree services need a license in Pennsylvania? State and local rules explained

No state licence for tree work appears on the state's lists, but several rules do apply: registration, pesticide licences, the lanternfly quarantine, utility rules and local tree permits.

Tree service scams to avoid: storm chasers, cash deals and needless removals

What attorneys general, the FTC and Pennsylvania's Insurance Department say about tree removal scams after storms, plus the bad practices Penn State warns about.

Tree service questions and answers for Pennsylvania homeowners

Quick, sourced answers to the questions homeowners ask most about tree removal, pruning, stump grinding, storm damage and hiring a tree company.

Ash trees and emerald ash borer: should you treat or remove? Plus hemlock woolly adelgid

DCNR's advice is to treat only healthy, valued ash trees before they are attacked and remove the rest before they become hazards. The signs, the licence rules, and hemlocks.

Can you trim your neighbor's tree branches that hang over your yard in Pennsylvania?

A Pennsylvania appeals court held that overhanging branches are a trespass you may trim back to the line. What that allows, what it does not, and the insurance side.

Is my tree dangerous? What a tree risk assessment is and when to get one

How arborists judge whether a tree is likely to fail, what a written assessment should record, the options short of removal, and the published prices for a consultation.

Is tree topping bad? Why arborists advise against it and what to ask for instead

Topping is still sold, but the arborists' body, Penn State and the region's utility all reject it. What it does, and the reduction and removal options to ask for.

Moving logs, firewood and brush under Pennsylvania's spotted lanternfly quarantine

Logs, stumps, firewood and yard waste are regulated articles under the lanternfly quarantine. What residents must check before moving them, and what to ask a tree company.

Stump grinding or stump removal: costs, 811 calls and what is left behind

Grinding is the quickest way to get rid of a stump, but it leaves a hole full of chips. Prices, the call to 811, private lines, and the slower options.

What to do when a storm damages a tree or brings one down

Stay clear of wires, document the damage, call your insurer, and take time to hire properly. What Penn State, PECO and Pennsylvania's Insurance Department advise.

Who is responsible for the street tree in front of your house in Pennsylvania?

The town usually controls the tree between sidewalk and curb, but the owner next to it often pays. How Philadelphia and four suburban codes split the duties.

Who pays when a tree falls on your house or yard in Pennsylvania?

Your own policy usually pays when a tree hits your house, whoever owned it, with a limited allowance for removal. What is generally not covered and how to protect a claim.

Who trims trees near power lines in Pennsylvania, the utility or the homeowner?

The utility trims around the lines on its poles; the wire to your house is usually yours. How to get it disconnected, who may work near live lines, and what to do after a storm.