Every neighborhood in Keene has them—those properties where trees have clearly become problems rather than assets. Branches scraping roofs during every windstorm. Dead wood littering lawns after every weather event. Stumps tripping people in yards that should be open and usable. Trees leaning dangerously toward homes or power lines.
These aren’t random misfortunes. They’re predictable problems that develop when trees aren’t maintained properly or when minor issues are ignored until they become major hazards.
At Wilcox Tree Service, we respond to the same tree problems repeatedly across Keene properties. The specific trees differ. The exact locations vary. But the underlying issues—and the solutions—remain remarkably consistent.
Here are the seven most common tree problems Keene homeowners face, why they develop, and how professional tree services fix them before they cause serious damage or expensive emergencies.
Problem 1: Overgrown Branches Creating Constant Damage
What It Looks Like:
Branches extending over roofs, scraping against siding, blocking gutters, or hanging dangerously over driveways and walkways. The tree itself might be healthy, but its growth has created ongoing problems.
Why It Happens:
Trees don’t stop growing. What started as appropriate clearance fifteen years ago gradually disappears as branches extend outward and upward. Most homeowners don’t notice the gradual encroachment until:
- Shingles start showing wear from constant scraping
- Gutters fill with leaves and debris every fall
- Branches touch power lines creating fire and outage risks
- Animals use branches as highways to access attics
By the time the problem is obvious, damage has been accumulating for months or years.
What Damage Occurs:
Roofing Deterioration—Scraping wears away protective granules on asphalt shingles, dramatically reducing roof lifespan. What should last 20+ years might need replacement in 12-15 years.
Gutter Destruction—Leaves and debris clog gutters, causing water backup that rots fascia boards and damages roof edges. Constant debris also weighs down gutters, pulling them away from the roofline.
Structural Contact—Branches rubbing against siding wear through paint and damage materials underneath. Moisture trapped against structures promotes rot and mold growth.
Pest Access—Branches touching homes provide pathways for squirrels, raccoons, and other animals to reach attics, vents, and roof spaces.
How We Fix It:
Professional tree trimming services in Keene NH address overgrown branches through strategic pruning:
Clearance Cutting—We remove branches extending over structures, maintaining proper clearance that prevents future contact while preserving tree health.
Crown Reduction—For trees whose overall size has become problematic, we reduce canopy height and spread using proper pruning techniques that don’t stress the tree.
Proper Cut Locations—Unlike amateur pruning that leaves stubs or damages branch collars, professional cuts promote healing and don’t create future decay problems.
Debris Management—All cut branches are chipped or hauled away. Your property is left cleaner than before work began.
Ongoing Maintenance Plans—We can schedule regular trimming maintaining clearance before branches become problems again—usually every 3-5 years depending on tree species and growth rate.
Cost Prevention:
Regular preventive trimming is far more cost-effective than repairing the damage overgrown branches cause to roofs, gutters, and structures. Emergency repairs after damage occurs are always more expensive than scheduled maintenance.
Problem 2: Dead or Dying Trees Becoming Hazards
What It Looks Like:
Trees showing obvious decline—extensive dead branches, sparse canopy, bark falling away, visible decay, or complete lack of leaves during growing season.
Why It Happens:
Trees die from multiple causes:
Disease—Fungal or bacterial infections compromise vascular systems, cutting off water and nutrient transport
Pest Infestations—Beetles, borers, and other insects destroy living wood, killing trees from the inside
Environmental Stress—Drought, soil compaction, construction damage, or extreme weather push trees past their tolerance
Age—Trees eventually reach the end of their natural lifespan
Regardless of cause, dead or dying trees share one characteristic: they become increasingly unstable and dangerous as decay progresses.
What Damage Occurs:
Falling Branches—Dead wood becomes brittle and breaks without warning, dropping on vehicles, structures, or people below.
Complete Toppling—Root systems decay along with visible portions. Eventually, anchoring fails and entire trees come down—often during storms when added stress pushes them past structural limits.
Property Damage—Falling dead trees don’t fall politely on grass. They hit roofs, crush vehicles, destroy fences, and bring down power lines.
Spreading Decay—Diseases and pests affecting dead trees don’t stay contained. They spread to healthy nearby trees, creating cascading problems.
How We Fix It:
When trees are dead or dying, professional tree removal services in Keene NH are the only safe solution:
Complete Removal—Dead trees must come out entirely. There’s no “pruning back to health” when the tree is already gone.
Safe Felling or Dismantling—Depending on location, we either fell trees in controlled directions or dismantle them section-by-section using climbing techniques or crane assistance.
Stump Grinding—After removal, we can grind stumps below ground level, preventing regrowth and reclaiming yard space.
Site Cleanup—All debris is removed. Your property is left safe and ready for replanting or other use.
Hazard Elimination—Removing dead trees before they fail on their own prevents emergency situations and the damage that comes with uncontrolled tree failure.
Cost Prevention:
Planned removal of a dead tree before it fails prevents both emergency response costs and property damage repairs. Proactive removal is significantly less expensive than emergency response after a tree has already fallen and caused damage.
Problem 3: Dangerous Leaning Trees Threatening Structures
What It Looks Like:
Trees that lean noticeably—especially lean that’s developed recently or that’s getting progressively worse. Soil around the base might be cracked, raised, or showing exposed roots that weren’t visible before.
Why It Happens:
Root Failure—Disease, construction damage, or soil issues compromise root systems, reducing their ability to anchor trees upright.
Storm Damage—High winds or saturated soil during severe weather can shift root balls, causing sudden lean.
Unbalanced Growth—Trees growing in cramped conditions or reaching for light develop uneven canopies that create leverage stress pulling them off-center.
Soil Erosion—Water runoff or drainage changes wash away soil supporting roots, destabilizing trees.
What Damage Occurs:
Progressive Failure—Leaning trees continue leaning. Root systems don’t heal themselves. The lean gets worse until complete toppling occurs.
Structural Threats—Trees leaning toward homes, garages, or other buildings will hit those structures when they fall—often causing catastrophic damage.
Unpredictable Timing—You don’t know when leaning trees will finally topple. It might be during the next storm or on a calm afternoon months from now.
How We Fix It:
For trees showing dangerous lean, professional assessment determines whether stabilization or removal is necessary:
Assessment First—We evaluate lean severity, root condition, soil stability, and lean direction to determine if the tree can be saved or must come down.
Removal When Necessary—If root failure is advanced or lean threatens structures, removal is the only safe option. We use cranes or specialized techniques to remove leaning trees safely without allowing uncontrolled falls.
Stabilization for Mild Cases—Sometimes trees with slight lean and stable roots can be preserved through cabling, bracing, or weight reduction that reduces leverage stress.
Emergency Response—For trees showing active failure—soil cracking, increasing lean during observation—we provide emergency removal before complete toppling occurs.
Cost Prevention:
Early removal of leaning trees prevents both the expense and trauma of emergency situations. Addressing the problem before the tree falls eliminates property damage and keeps costs manageable.
Problem 4: Storm Damage Creating Immediate Hazards
What It Looks Like:
Broken branches hanging in trees, partially fallen trees caught in other trees, split trunks still standing, or complete tree failures blocking driveways and damaging structures.
Why It Happens:
New Hampshire weather tests trees regularly:
Ice Storms—Heavy ice accumulation loads branches beyond their capacity
Wind Events—High winds bend and break branches, uproot entire trees
Heavy Snow—Wet snow accumulates rapidly, creating sudden weight that branches can’t support
Lightning Strikes—Direct strikes split trunks and vaporize moisture inside wood
Storm damage is unpredictable. Even healthy trees can fail under extreme conditions.
What Damage Occurs:
Hanging Branches—Partially broken branches caught in the canopy are “widow makers”—extremely dangerous and unpredictable about when they’ll finally fall.
Blocked Access—Fallen trees across driveways, roads, or walkways prevent normal property use and emergency vehicle access.
Structural Damage—Trees falling on roofs puncture shingles, crack rafters, allow water intrusion, and create extensive repair needs.
Power Outages—Branches bringing down lines create utility emergencies affecting entire neighborhoods.
Secondary Failures—Storm-damaged trees that don’t fall completely often fail further during the next weather event.
How We Fix It:
Emergency tree services in Keene address storm damage through rapid response:
24/7 Availability—We respond around the clock when storms create hazards that can’t wait for business hours.
Immediate Hazard Removal—Priority goes to trees threatening structures, blocking access, or creating dangerous conditions requiring immediate attention.
Safe Dismantling—Storm-damaged trees are unstable and unpredictable. We use specialized techniques and equipment handling high-risk situations safely.
Complete Cleanup—All debris is removed, restoring property access and preventing ongoing hazards from scattered broken wood.
Damage Assessment—After emergency removal, we assess remaining trees for hidden storm damage requiring attention before the next weather event.
Cost Prevention:
Immediate emergency response prevents additional damage from accumulating. The faster we respond after storm damage, the more secondary damage we prevent and the lower total costs remain.
Problem 5: Ugly Stumps Making Yards Unusable
What It Looks Like:
Leftover stumps from previous tree removals—creating eyesores, trip hazards, and obstacles that limit how you can use your yard.
Why It Happens:
Trees get removed but stumps remain because:
Removal seemed complete—homeowners assume cutting the tree down finishes the job
Cost concerns—some people skip stump grinding initially thinking they’ll address it later
Procrastination—stumps don’t seem urgent until they’ve been in the way for months or years
But stumps aren’t neutral. They’re actively problematic.
What Damage Occurs:
Trip Hazards—Stumps hide under grass, leaves, or snow. People catch feet on them and fall, causing injuries.
Pest Attractants—Decaying stumps attract termites, carpenter ants, beetles, and other insects that don’t stay in the stump—they explore nearby structures.
Regrowth Issues—Some species send up shoots from stumps, requiring constant trimming just to keep under control.
Landscape Limitations—Stumps prevent full use of yard space. You can’t build, plant, or landscape where stumps remain.
Equipment Damage—Mower blades hitting stumps hidden in grass creates expensive repairs.
How We Fix It:
Professional stump grinding and removal in Keene eliminates stumps completely:
Below-Grade Grinding—We grind stumps 6-12 inches below ground level, preventing regrowth and allowing grass or planting over the area.
Root System Grinding—Large surface roots are ground down along with the stump itself, creating clean, level ground.
Debris Management—Wood chips created during grinding can be used as mulch or hauled away—your choice.
Site Leveling—The depression left by grinding is filled and leveled so your yard looks better than before.
Multiple Stump Efficiency—If you have several stumps needing attention, we can address them all in a single visit—more efficient and cost-effective than handling them separately.
Cost Prevention:
Stump grinding eliminates trip hazards, pest attractants, and landscape obstacles. Addressing stumps immediately after tree removal is more cost-effective than dealing with ongoing pest control, injury risks, and equipment damage.
Problem 6: Overgrown Property Limiting Use and Value
What It Looks Like:
Dense undergrowth, volunteer saplings, tangled brush, and overgrown areas that make property unusable—hiding boundaries, blocking views, creating fire hazards, and making yards feel cramped and dark.
Why It Happens:
Natural Succession—Without maintenance, open areas fill with new growth. Saplings establish, brush spreads, and what was once clear space becomes impassable.
Neglected Maintenance—Homeowners delay clearing work, and vegetation growth accelerates to the point where DIY management becomes impossible.
Property Acquisition—New homeowners inherit overgrown areas from previous owners who let maintenance lapse.
What Damage Occurs:
Lost Usable Space—Areas that could be gardens, play spaces, or outdoor living areas are unusable because dense vegetation blocks access.
Fire Hazards—Overgrown brush, especially dead material mixed with living growth, creates fire risk during dry seasons.
Pest Habitat—Dense undergrowth provides shelter for ticks, rodents, and other pests that migrate to nearby structures.
Property Value Impact—Overgrown properties signal neglect to potential buyers, reducing market value and appeal.
Boundary Disputes—When property lines disappear into overgrowth, disputes with neighbors become more likely.
How We Fix It:
Professional lot clearing services in Keene reclaim overgrown property systematically:
Complete Vegetation Removal—Trees, saplings, brush, and undergrowth are cleared to ground level, opening up space you’ve forgotten you had.
Selective Clearing—If you want to preserve certain trees or areas, we clear selectively according to your specifications.
Equipment-Based Efficiency—Using excavators, chippers, and specialized clearing equipment, we complete in days what would take homeowners months of weekends.
Debris Processing—Material is chipped, hauled away, or processed for your use—you’re not left managing piles of brush yourself.
Site Preparation—Cleared areas are left ready for whatever comes next—landscaping, construction, replanting, or simply open usable yard.
Cost Prevention:
Professional lot clearing reclaims usable space, eliminates fire and pest hazards, and improves property value. The investment in clearing pays for itself through increased property appeal and functionality.
Problem 7: Large Trees in Tight Spaces Threatening Property
What It Looks Like:
Trees growing too close to homes, garages, pools, or other structures—where their size creates constant concern and their removal requires specialized approach because standard felling isn’t possible.
Why It Happens:
Poor Original Placement—Trees planted too close to structures, not accounting for mature size
Development Around Existing Trees—Structures built near trees that were there first
Growth Beyond Expectations—Trees growing larger than anticipated when planted
What Damage Occurs:
Root Pressure on Foundations—Roots growing under structures can crack foundations, lift sidewalks, and damage underground utilities.
Branch Contact—Limbs constantly touching structures cause ongoing damage to roofs, siding, and gutters.
Falling Risk—If trees this close fail, damage is catastrophic—there’s no “near miss” when trees are against buildings.
How We Fix It:
Trees in confined spaces require specialized removal using reliable crane services in Keene:
Crane-Assisted Removal—Our 45-ton crane lifts tree sections up and over structures, placing them safely in drop zones without allowing uncontrolled falls.
Precision Dismantling—Trees are removed piece by piece from the top down, with each section carefully controlled until it’s safely on the ground.
Property Protection—Rigging systems and careful planning prevent any contact with structures, vehicles, or landscaping during removal.
Confined Space Expertise—Where other companies would struggle or decline difficult jobs, our crane capabilities allow safe removal even in extremely tight locations.
Cost Prevention:
Removing problematic trees before they cause damage is always more cost-effective than repairing foundation cracks, structural damage, and dealing with insurance claims after tree failure occurs.
Why These Problems Get Worse When Ignored
Every problem on this list shares one characteristic: time makes them worse, not better.
Overgrown branches extend further. Dead trees decay more. Leaning trees lean further. Storm damage weakens the remaining structure. Stumps attract more pests. Overgrowth spreads. Tight-space trees grow larger.
None of these situations improve on their own. And the longer they’re ignored, the more expensive and dangerous they become.
How Wilcox Tree Service Solves All Seven
At Wilcox Tree Service, we’ve built our business around solving exactly these problems—the challenges Keene homeowners face repeatedly across all neighborhoods and property types.
Comprehensive Service Range:
We handle every problem on this list:
- Trimming overgrown branches
- Removing dead or dying trees
- Addressing dangerous leans
- Emergency storm damage response
- Stump grinding
- Lot clearing
- Crane-assisted removals in confined spaces
You don’t coordinate multiple contractors. One call addresses whatever tree problems your property faces.
Professional Equipment:
We own the machinery these jobs require:
- Climbers and bucket trucks for high-access trimming
- Chainsaws and cutting equipment for all tree sizes
- Chippers processing debris efficiently
- Stump grinders handling removal below grade
- Excavators and clearing equipment for lot work
- Our 45-ton crane for confined-space challenges
This equipment lets us work safely and efficiently—completing jobs that would be impossible or extremely dangerous for homeowners attempting DIY approaches.
Experienced Crews:
Our team has addressed thousands of these exact problems throughout Keene. We know:
- How Keene’s common tree species behave and fail
- What New Hampshire weather does to trees
- How to assess problems and recommend appropriate solutions
- How to execute work safely without damaging your property
Complete Service:
We don’t just cut and leave. Every job includes:
- Thorough assessment explaining what we’re seeing and why
- Professional execution following industry standards
- Complete debris removal and cleanup
- Follow-up recommendations if needed
Your property is left better than we found it.
Don’t Wait for Problems to Become Emergencies
Every homeowner on this list who called us eventually said some version of: “I should have addressed this sooner.”
They’re right. The time to fix tree problems is when they’re manageable—not after they’ve caused damage, created emergencies, or become so advanced that solutions are limited and expensive.
If your property has any of these seven common problems, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not stuck with them.
Professional tree services in Keene NH can address overgrown branches, dead trees, dangerous leans, storm damage, stumps, overgrowth, or confined-space challenges—solving problems before they create the expensive emergencies homeowners dread.
Ready to Solve Your Tree Problems?
Contact Wilcox Tree Service today for professional assessment of your Keene property. We’ll evaluate your trees, identify problems requiring attention, and provide clear recommendations for solutions that protect your home and restore your yard to the usable, attractive space it should be.
Call 603-363-8197 or visit us online to schedule your assessment.
Because when it comes to tree problems, the solution is always simpler and cheaper before problems become crises.
Wilcox Tree Service—solving Keene’s most common tree problems with professional expertise and complete care.