Allentown Rental Tree Checklist

Many Allentown rentals sit under big, old trees that shade the house and make the yard pleasant. They also drop limbs in ice storms and summer thunderstorms. Tenants are usually the first to see a cracked limb or a tree that's started to lean. This checklist tells them what to look for and what to report.

Report right away

• A tree or large limb on the house, a car, a fence or a power line
• A limb hanging broken in the canopy after a storm
• A tree that has started to lean, with soil lifted at the base
• A large crack or split in a trunk or where big limbs meet

Report within a week or two

• Branches without leaves in summer, especially over the roof, driveway or play areas
• Limbs rubbing the roof or sitting in the gutters
• Mushrooms or soft wood at the base of a tree
• Clusters of spotted lanternflies or gray, mud-like egg masses on trees

What tenants can safely do

1. Stay away from downed lines and anything touching them; call the utility
2. Take photos of damage from a safe distance
3. Pick up small sticks, but leave large limbs and anything under tension to professionals
4. Scrape lanternfly egg masses off outdoor furniture into a bag of rubbing alcohol

After a winter storm

Ice and wet snow can bring limbs down for a day or two after the storm. Keep cars and people out from under loaded trees until the ice melts. More: winter ice and snow on Lehigh Valley trees.

For property managers

A yearly look at the trees on each property catches most hazards before they fail. See tree trimming and pruning, tree removal, roof and driveway clearance and storm and emergency tree work.