F.A.Q.
Tree care probably isn’t something you do everyday. We understand that at Brumbaugh Tree Service and expect you to have a few questions. Lucky for you, tree care is exactly what we do each day of the week, so we’re ready for anything you might ask.
Below you will find a list of several questions people often ask us. Just scroll down and click the question to find an answer. If you still have more things you’re wondering about or would like to set up an estimate, call us at (217) 223-0938 or email us at BTS@gmail.com.
Qualifications
An International Certified Arborist is an individual trained in the art and science of planting, caring for, and maintaining individual trees. An International Certified Arborists are knowledgeable about the needs of all trees and are trained and equipped to provide proper care for your entire tree, from the trees vascular system, to the trees roots, trunks, limbs, & leaves. International Certified Arborists are individuals who have achieved a level of knowledge in the art and science of tree care through experience and by passing a comprehensive examination developed by some of the nation’s leading experts on tree care. Certified Arborists must also continue their education to maintain their certification and adhere to a Code of Ethics. Therefore, they are more likely to be up to date on the latest techniques in arboriculture. Call Larry W. Brumbaugh, your local International Certified Arborist (License #4718A) at Brumbaugh Tree Service. He has the knowledge & experience to use tree care techniques used in years past, combined with the most up-to-date new techniques to ensure your tree obtains the best tree care available.
An International Certified Arborist has the extended knowledge & responsibility to care for your trees in a proper non-harmful manor. An International Certified Arborist is a tree doctor, which is required to care for trees through the guidelines set by the International Society of Arboriculture. These professionals must sign and adhere to the code of ethic set by the International Society of Arboriculture. For example, an International Certified Arborist will not top a tree because it has been determined that topping causes severe damage to trees. An International Certified Arborist signs a Code of Ethics that states they will not do harm to a tree. Failure to adhere to the tree code of ethics standards will cause an International Certified Arborist to lose their certification and license.
Tree services are not staffed with employees that have extended knowledge and proper experience necessary to properly cared for trees. They are not certified or licensed, and lack the requirement to adhere to the proper code ethics for tree care. Without this extended knowledge, you risk hiring a person that does more harm than good to a tree, leaving your tree more damaged and dangerous condition than they found it.
These are bad signs:
- Reputable Arborist will not knock door to door soliciting business. Avoid those companies that show up at your doorstep offering to prune, trim, or cut down trees. A knock on your door is a sign for customers beware!
- Never allow a non-insured arborist to do work on your property. If you hire an uninsured arborist, you can be held liable for any damages or injuries that occur while they are on the job.
- Don’t allow an arborist to do work for you until you confirm they have a drug and alcohol policy in place that is regulated by state and federal guidelines. This will help insure you have alert, safe, and healthy workers on your property.
- Do not allow a person to scare or intimidate you into doing work. If they refuse to accept your refusal of their tree services and continue to knock or ring your door bell, call the non-emergency 911 number to ask for someone to come out and get the person off of your property. Sadly, in the Quincy and Adams County area there have been a lot of unprofessional tree services since the June 2011 storm. Brumbaugh Tree Service has worked with the Quincy Police at the senior center to advise people about this very serious issue.
- Never pay a person until job is complete and inspected by you.
These are good signs:
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- Look for an International Certified Arborist, not only a tree service. You can go to International Society of Arboriculture, www.isa_arbor.com, to confirm that arborist certification and licensing number is valid.
- Request a copy of the International Certified Arborist Company’s insurances. Make sure they are fully insured. Make sure they have property/ personal liability insurance, automobile/ equipment insurance, & workman’s compensation insurance. Reputable Arborist will be happy to supply you with a copy of proof of their insurance.
- Look for International Certified Arborist that are members of other professional organizations, like the International Society of Arboriculture or Illinois Department of Arboriculture. These affiliations with organizations demonstrate a willingness to stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and information.
- Always have an International Certified Arborist evaluate your trees and give you an estimate first. When examining the bids, look at all specifications and credentials as well as the work to be done to determine which bidding company will provide the best service. Do NOT always select the lowest bid. The of owner of Brumbaugh Tree Service, Larry W. Brumbaugh, will be happy to answer any tree question you have, he will evaluate your trees for free, and he will give you a free estimate.
- If you are going to start a new construction, like building a house or business, the first thing you need to do is call an International Certified Arborist to have them evaluate your property and mark your healthy trees to ensure the construction crew does not harm healthy trees. Larry W. Brumbaugh will evaluate your trees free of charge.
Yes, Brumbaugh Tree Service, LLC. is licensed & fully insured. We carry the following types of insurance: property, personal liability, automobile, equipment, and workman’s compensation. We maintain the required amount of insurance that state and the federal government guidelines require in order to do state or federal work.
Also, we are certified and licensed as an International Certified Arborist (License # 4718A) through the International Society of Arboriculture.
And, we are licensed through the Illinois Department of Agriculture with a Restricted Chemical Applicators license in order to treat your trees from the inside to the outside.
Tree Servcies
Yes, the height and/or growth of the tree can be controlled with the use of Direct Injections restricted chemicals. Plus, there are several other unwanted attributes trees have that we find to be a nuisance which can also be taken care of with Direct Injection Restricted Chemicals.
A Direct Injection treatment is the least invasive way to treat numerous tree diseases without damaging the xylem and phloem in a tree’s trunk. We've done extensive research to determine the safest and most effective way to treat tree diseases. Brumbaugh Tree Service finds direct injections are the least invasive treatment for tree diseases and tree care. Combine this with the most important fact: Direct Injections restricted chemicals successfully treat trees for disease and many other tree problems without increasing the chance of tree decay. Drilling into one’s trees can further compromise an already sick tree and will increase the chances of the tree becoming diseased.
Common reasons for pruning are to remove dead, crowded, or rubbing branches, and to eliminate hazards. Trees may also be pruned to increase light and air penetration to the inside of the tree’s crown or to the landscape below. In most cases, mature trees are pruned as a corrective or preventive measure.
Routine thinning does not necessarily improve the health of a tree. Trees produce a dense crown of leaves to manufacture the sugar used as energy for growth and development. Removal of foliage through pruning can reduce growth and stored energy reserves. Heavy pruning or what is sometimes called “Topping a Tree” can be a significant health stress for the tree. Doing this may cause irreversible damage or even kill the tree. An International Certified Arborist will not top any tree. These trained professionals have the skill to properly prune and trim trees.
Another reason trees are pruned is because people and trees live in an environment together. It is a fact that we have to modify the trees to make them safe for all. City environments do not imitate natural forest conditions. Safety is a major concern. Also, we want trees to complement other landscape plantings and lawns. Proper pruning with an understanding of tree biology can maintain good tree health and structure while enhancing the aesthetic and economic values of our landscapes. Always call an International Certified Arborist when pruning a tree because of the extended tree biology knowledge needed to properly prune your trees.
Topping often removes 50 to 100 percent of the leaf-bearing crown of a tree. Because leaves are the food factories of a tree, removing them can temporarily starve a tree. The severity of the pruning triggers a sort of survival mechanism. The tree activates latent buds, forcing the rapid growth of multiple shoots below each cut. The tree needs to put out a new crop of leaves as soon as possible. If a tree does not have the stored energy reserves to do so, it will be seriously weakened and may die.
A stressed tree is more vulnerable to insect and disease infestations. Large, open pruning wounds expose the sapwood and heartwood to attacks. The tree may lack sufficient energy to chemically defend the wounds against invasion, and some insects are actually attracted to the chemical signals trees release.
Normally, a tree will “wall off” or compartmentalize the decaying tissues, but few trees can defend the multiple severe wounds caused by topping. The decay organisms are given a free path to move down through the branches. This will eventually cause the tree to die.
Branches within a tree’s crown produce thousands of leaves to absorb sunlight. When the leaves are removed, the remaining branches and trunk are suddenly exposed to high levels of light and heat. The result may be a sunburn of the tissues beneath the bark, which can lead to cankers, bark splitting, and death of some branches.
The survival mechanism that causes a tree to produce multiple shoots below each topping cut comes at great expense to the tree. These shoots develop from buds near the surface of the old branches. Unlike normal branches that develop in a socket of overlapping wood tissues, these new shoots are anchored only in the outermost layers of the parent branches.
The new shoots grow quickly, as much as 20 feet in one year in some species. Unfortunately, the shoots that develop from topping are prone to breaking, especially during windy conditions. Topping does not benefit a tree in any way.
The only thing topping a tree does is it creates stress on the tree. It causes to poor tree health and decay will set in. Topping weakens your tree and makes it more hazardous. Topping a tree is an absolute NO, NO!
This is a complicated question to answer. It's always best to call an International Certified Arborist to see when the best time of the year is to prune different species of trees.
Some trees like Oak trees cannot be trimmed in the Quincy, Illinois, and Adams County area between April 1st and September 30th because it will damage, if not kill it. Other species of trees may be routinely pruned to remove weak, diseased, or dead limbs at any time of the year with little effect on the health of the tree. As a rule, growth is maximized and wound closure is fastest if pruning takes place before spring. Some trees, such as maples and birches, tend to “bleed” if pruned early in the spring. It may be unsightly, but it is of little consequence to the tree.
Oak trees in the Quincy, Illinois, and Adams County area should only be pruned or trimmed between October 1st and March 30th. (The weather cannot be hot. Research shows that making any cut on an Oak Tree between April 1st and September 30th can cause an Oak Tree to get a disease called Oak Wilt. Oak Wilt will cause your tree to die.
NO! Oak trees in the Quincy, Illinois, and Adams County area should only be pruned or trimmed between October 1st & March 30th. Research shows that making any cut on an Oak Tree between April 1st and September 30th can cause an Oak Tree to get a disease called Oak Wilt. Oak Wilt will cause your tree to die.
It is essential to have a professional, an International Certified Arborist to prune your trees because they have the tree biology knowledge and experience to make sure the tree is properly pruned. Not only do they know which branches should be removed without causing excess stress on one’s trees, but they also what the correct time of the year to do so is. If you do not call an International Certified Arborist, you take the risk of having your tree pruned or trimmed in the wrong way. Improper cuts to can cause stress to the tree, which can lead to your tree becoming weak or kill your tree all together. A properly cared for tree is an asset to your property. Trees that are not pruned or trimmed correctly can become an eye-sore and depreciate your property.
We are always respectful of your property and do our very best to leave your property in the same condition as it was in before we did tree work for you. Sometimes, however, we are left with no choice but to drive on your lawn. If we do this we will place plywood down to ensure we do not leave large ruts. Also, we make sure the ground is hard, not soft, before we enter your yard.
Direct Injections are environmentally safe and restricted chemicals that we can inject into your trees that will decrease the development of gum balls and/or other non-edible fruits by 95% in the first year and that % increases each year thereafter. These Direct Injections are non-invasive tree injections and are 100% environmentally safe while obtaining the overall benefit of unwanted gum balls or other unwanted non-edible fruits. Trees need to be treated annually.
Yes, direct injections restricted chemicals are 100% environmentally safe. Direct Injections are premixed, therefore, there is no chance of a mixing spill. Most important there is NO spraying, therefore, one does not need to worry about restricted chemicals exposing our environment or other property in a negative way. All restricted chemicals are confined in containers.
We understand at Brumbaugh Tree Service, LLC. that Mother Nature doesn't always choose the more convenient time to cause trouble. We are here for all your tree service needs whether it's 3 am or 3 pm. Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for all your tree emergencies. For immediate assistance, please call (217) 223-0938. You can also email us at bts@gmail.com.
Service Area & Payment
We understand at Brumbaugh Tree Service, LLC. that Mother Nature doesn't always choose the more convenient time to cause trouble. We are here for all your tree service needs whether it's 3 am or 3 pm. Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for all your tree emergencies. For immediate assistance, please call (217) 223-0938. You can also email us at bts@gmail.com.
Please feel free to call us at (217) 223-0938 and we will do our best get you the estimate that you request
We accept cash, check, or the following major credit cards as payment: American Express, Discover Card, Visa, and MasterCard.
We ask for payment on all completed work to be paid within 10 days, unless special arrangements have been made prior to us doing the work.