A dead tree can stand for months and then come down in one windy afternoon. Smith Works takes down dead and dying trees across Nashville and Middle Tennessee before they land on a roof, a fence or a car.
Fully Insured • Free Written Estimate • Cleanup and Haul-Off
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A live tree bends. A dead tree snaps. Once the wood dries out, it gets brittle, and limbs can break off when you least expect it.
That changes how the tree comes down. On a healthy tree, a climber ties in high and works his way down. On a dead tree, those limbs may not hold his weight. So we often work from a lift or bucket truck instead, or rig each piece with ropes and lower it to the ground.
Dead trees also fail without warning. Nashville gets strong spring winds, summer thunderstorms and winter ice storms that load dry limbs with weight. Many dead trees in Middle Tennessee are ash trees killed by the emerald ash borer, and they get weaker every year they stand.
If the tree has already fallen, see fallen tree removal. For healthy trees, see our main Nashville tree removal services.
One sign alone may not mean much. Two or three together mean it is time to have the tree looked at.
The tree stays bare in late spring while nearby trees leaf out.
Large patches peel away and show bare, gray wood.
Mushrooms at the roots or shelf fungus on the trunk point to rot inside.
Deep splits, especially where two trunks meet, weaken the whole tree.
Live twigs bend. Dead ones snap clean and are dry inside.
The tree starts leaning and the soil at the base lifts or cracks.
Heavy woodpecker activity often means insects are living in dead wood.
Broken branches caught in the tree can fall at any time.
Wind blew over a dead maple, and it came down on the edge of a roof and across the vinyl fence. The tree was only just resting on the roof.
Our crew rigged the tree so no piece could drop onto the house, then cut it off the roof and fence on the spot. The whole job was done in one visit. Afterwards, the roof had a few holes that needed to be patched.
A dead tree is easier to remove while it is still standing. See the full dead maple removal project.
Four steps from your first call to a clean yard
We check how far gone the wood is and what is around it – the house, fences and power lines.
You get a free written estimate that spells out the work before we start.
We take the tree down in sections, using a lift, bucket truck or rigging when the wood is too weak to climb.
We haul off the wood and brush and clean up the work area. Stump grinding is available if you want the stump gone too.
These are the things that move the price up or down.
Bigger trees mean more cuts and more wood to haul.
An open yard is easier than a tree behind a fence or on a slope.
Trees over a house or near power lines come down in small, rigged pieces.
Brittle, rotten wood may need a lift or extra rigging.
Hauling off everything takes more time than leaving firewood.
Stump grinding is an optional add-on.
Want a rough idea first? Estimate your range with our cost calculator. For an exact number, ask for a free written estimate.
Questions Nashville homeowners ask us about dead trees.
Scratch a little bark off a twig with your thumbnail. Green underneath means alive. Brown and dry means dead. Check a few spots, since part of a tree can die while the rest lives.
Usually, yes. Dead limbs can break under a climber or snap during a cut, so we often use a lift, bucket truck or rigging and take the tree down in smaller pieces.
It is less urgent, but the tree will keep getting weaker. If it could reach a fence, shed, driveway, power line or a path people use, take it down before it falls.
That depends on your policy, so ask your insurer what it covers. We can give you a free written estimate to share with them.
Stay out of the area under the tree and call us at 615-782-9966. Our emergency tree services page has more on what to do while you wait.
We remove dead trees in Nashville and nearby towns across Middle Tennessee, including Brentwood, Hendersonville, Mt. Juliet and Lebanon.
Not sure if we cover your street? Send the address with your estimate request.
Request a Free Estimate →The best time to remove a dead tree is before the next storm. Call or send a request and we will set up a time to look at it.
Commercial general liability, automobile liability, workers' compensation and employer's liability – up to $2,000,000 in coverage. Proof of insurance available on request.
