Carpenter ants are not direct threats to your tree—they are instead a sign that your tree is already unhealthy, because rotten sections of wood and holes ... weak enough to fall over.

Fall yard cleanup is an important part of home maintenance ... Leaf drop and leaf coverage are the biggest signs,” he says. “If you notice leaves beginning to decompose and rain storms ...

The streets in my neighborhood are dotted with piles of wood chips every few houses ... There are two times of year people cut down trees—fall, before winter snow and rain weighs branches ...

But trees are also huge, heavy things sticking out of the ground right next to your home, and if one of them decides to fall ...