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Saw a huge silver maple come down in a storm in Dayton, changed how I think about cavity inspections.
It was last spring, a big thunderstorm rolled through. This tree looked fine from the outside, but the trunk was mostly hollow. The owner said they had it checked 'a while back' but the decay wasn't caught. Now I spend an extra five minutes really sounding out the trunk with my mallet, even on trees that seem solid. Anyone have a specific technique they swear by for spotting hidden rot?
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andrewh952d ago
My uncle lost a 40 year old oak in his backyard to the exact same thing. It looked perfect, full canopy, but a woodpecker hole near the base was the only clue. He had some guy out who just poked the ground with a stick and said it was fine. After it fell, the inside was just a shell of punky wood and old wasp nests. Makes you wonder how many "quick look" inspections miss the big problems. I've started carrying a long, thin screwdriver to gently probe any suspect spots after I sound them.
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