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Last week on "Your Home" we gave you some tips to growing a nice healthy lawn this season. Today we address trees. Trees are often damaged after a winter of heavy snowfall, sometimes beyond repair. That certainly wasn't an issue this winter, but the health of the trees in your yard should still be addressed. It's especially important to know when to have a tree worked on or removed.

Tree Expert, Vince Walsh said, “The main thing is hazards. If someone sees a hazard, the wind or ice damaged something in the tree or the tree itself came down and they want it removed. If limbs are over the roof, creating a lot of drip and the trees are blocking the sun so it keeps the roof wet. We prune those and get them away from the house.”

For perspective buyers, Walsh recommends examining the yard and trees for damage just as you would the home itself. Even if it's new construction.

Walsh said, “It's best to walk 360 around the trees, even at a new site. The other thing is, what's on the western border? Our prevailing winds are form the west. If you have a lot of poplar trees there, they're prone to blow down as well as locust trees.”

If you're moving into a home on a fairly barren lot and know you're going to be living there for some years to come, Walsh wants you to get proactive, plant some trees and do so with the environment in mind.

“Be eco-conscious. We recommend putting in hemlocks, pine or arborvitae on the west and north sides. That blocks the wind so you have less convective heat loss from your home. Also, for sunlight issues, you want some shade, so on the south side you'll put some deciduous trees. They won't get too big or too tall. They'll block the sun in the summer months and then lose their leaves in the fall allowing more sunlight to reach your house in the winter months,” said Walsh.

For the do-it-yourself tree trimmer out there, Walsh recommends head-to-toe protection including chaps, gloves and eyewear. For major jobs, like removing an entire tree, leave that to the professionals.

To see more information, visit www.kawingcrow.com.