Emergency tree service in South Reno

South Reno is new. Three out of four homes in the ZIP went up in 2000 or later, and the trees were planted with them. A storm emergency here is seldom a giant on a roof. It is a 20-year-old tree that was never thinned, lying across a driveway, a fence or the neighbor's car.

At a glance

• About 30 minutes from the yard, the shortest drive to any Reno ZIP
• About 76% of homes in ZIP 89521 were built in 2000 or later
• Blown-over, split and uprooted young trees removed and hauled
• Common-area trees: check with your HOA who makes the call

Why do young trees fail in a wind?

A tree that has stood 60 years has been tested by 60 winters. A tree that has stood 20 has not. Subdivision trees are often planted in a small hole in compacted fill, staked, watered by drip and left to grow two or three competing tops. The crown gets heavy before the roots and the structure are ready for it.

The usual failures are a trunk that splits where two leaders meet, and a whole tree that tips over with its root ball when the soil is wet. Neither is the homeowner's fault, and both are easier to prevent than to clean up. The arborist can show you which of your remaining trees have the same weak fork. See warning signs before a tree fails.

Is it my tree or the association's?

Much of ZIP 89521 is in planned communities. A tree in a front yard is usually the owner's. A tree in a common strip, a park or along a perimeter wall often belongs to the association. That is a general pattern, not a rule we can state for your street, so check your documents or call the management company. Our guide to HOA tree rules lists what to look for.

Parts of the ZIP are inside the Reno city limits and parts are not. Inside the limits, a tree in a City right-of-way falls under Reno's Tree Work Permit rule. On private property no City permit is needed.

What the numbers say about weather here

The airport station, about 4.6 miles from the middle of the ZIP, averages 20.9 inches of snow and a mean temperature of 55.0 degrees (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). FEMA's National Risk Index puts Washoe County's winter weather risk at Very High. Early and late storms do the damage, when snow lands on trees in leaf.

The call, from your side

1. Check that everyone is accounted for. An injury means 911.
2. Look for wires before you walk up to the tree. If any are down or snagged, back away and call NV Energy.
3. Move cars that can be moved without going under the tree.
4. Photograph the damage from a distance.
5. Call 775.232.8243 and describe what is blocked.

We bring the chipper and haul the debris. If the stump is left in a lawn or a planting bed, stump grinding in South Reno is the follow-up.

A straight run up the highway

From 6301 US Highway 50 East the route to South Reno is about 25 miles. That drive time is an estimate with no traffic, wind restrictions or snow on the road. It is not a guarantee of when we arrive.