Crane tree removal in Sun Valley, NV

Sun Valley is an unincorporated community north of Reno and Sparks with about 7,200 housing units. Its housing mix, more than its age, is why the crane earns a page here.

At a glance

• About 51% of Sun Valley housing units are manufactured or mobile homes
• About a third of homes were built before 1980
• Reno WFO station normal: about 29.7 inches of snow a year
• Free estimate, with a certified arborist on site

What is the risk with a big tree beside a manufactured home?

Weight. A limb that a framed roof might shrug off can go through a lighter roof, a deck cover or a shed. When a tree like that has to come out, the removal itself must not create the accident the owner was worried about. Lowering pieces on ropes puts each one beside the home on its way down. A crane takes it the other way.

The Census Bureau estimates that about 51% of Sun Valley's housing is manufactured or mobile homes and about 44% is detached houses. Roughly a third of all homes date from before 1980, old enough for a planted tree to tower over a single-story roof.

Can the crane set up on my lot?

This is the question the arborist answers first. A crane needs firm, reasonably level ground for its outriggers and a clear path for the boom. On a paved driveway or a compacted pad that is usually simple. On soft soil, fill or a steep cut it takes blocking, a different spot, or a different method. If the crane cannot set up, we do not force it. The boom truck or a climber takes the tree down in smaller pieces.

Why do tops and limbs break here?

Snow is part of it. The Reno WFO weather station, about 2 miles from our Sun Valley reference point and a little higher, averages about 29.7 inches of snow a year, more than the Reno airport's 20.9. Wet snow loads branches, and a tree with a broken top or a split fork is weaker than it looks. A damaged tree is a poor thing to rig from, which is another argument for supporting each piece with the crane. Our guide to heavy snow and broken limbs explains what to do the morning after.

Does fire risk change which trees come out?

It can. The USDA Forest Service rates Sun Valley's wildfire risk to homes higher than 97.7% of US communities, and it places none of the community's buildings in the minimal exposure class. A dead tree touching or overhanging a home is fuel in the worst place. Removing it is a sound first step, and defensible space work in Sun Valley deals with the rest of the lot.

Who decides on permits?

Sun Valley is in unincorporated Washoe County. Our research found no county permit rule for removing a tree on a private lot. If you rent your space or belong to an association, ask the owner or the board before you book.