Frequently Asked Questions

Homeyou's October 2026 Akron figures put removal of a medium tree at about $590 to $799, trees over 60 feet around $1,000 or more, and pruning at about $375 to $525. National guides from HomeGuide and Angi put most removals between $200 and $2,000. Access, the tree's condition and what sits under it move the price most. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

The devil strip between the sidewalk and the curb is city right-of-way, and the City of Akron's Parks Maintenance forestry crew handles removal and trimming of street trees there. Request service by calling 311 (330-375-2311 from a cell phone) or through the city's online service request page. If you aren't sure whether a tree is a city tree, ask the city before anyone cuts it.

Late fall and winter. Oak wilt spreads most easily through fresh wounds in spring and summer, and guidance shared by the City of Akron's arborist when the city warned residents about oak wilt was not to prune oaks voluntarily between April 1 and October 1. A storm-broken oak limb that threatens a house is the exception; it should be cut cleanly as soon as possible.

If it can reach a house, a driveway, a sidewalk or the street, it should come down soon. Ash killed by emerald ash borer dries out and gets brittle, so limbs drop without warning and the trunk can snap in wind. The longer a dead ash stands, the harder and riskier it is to climb, which can mean the job needs a lift or crane instead of a climber.

After a big storm, every tree company in the area is booked fast, so call as soon as it's safe and leave the details: where the tree is, what it's on and whether wires are involved. You can call any time to leave that information. Trees on houses, blocked driveways and anything leaning on a structure get scheduled first. Stay away from any downed wire and report it to Ohio Edison at 1-888-544-4877.

Yes. We can leave logs in rounds, cut them to firewood length, or haul everything away, and chips can be left for mulch. Ash, oak and beech wood carries pests and diseases, so burn it at home or nearby rather than moving it long distances.

Ohio does not license tree care companies at the state level, so the questions are up to you. Ask for an itemized written quote that names each tree, the cleanup and the stump work. Ask for a current certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation sent directly from the insurer. If the job involves diagnosing a disease or judging whether a tree is safe, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will look at it; that credential can be checked on the International Society of Arboriculture's website.

Homeyou's October 2026 Akron guide puts a medium tree at about $590 to $799 and a tree over 60 feet at about $1,000, with hard-to-reach trees up to about $1,200. National guides run from about $200 for a small tree to $2,000 or more for a large one, and much more when a crane is needed. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

For a tree in the devil strip or anywhere else in the city right-of-way, the city handles it: call 311. For trees on private property, rules vary in Akron and in each suburb and township around it, and some subdivisions have their own HOA rules, so check with your city or HOA before a large removal. We'll ask about it at the estimate.

Dead wood breaks unpredictably. Limbs can snap when a climber ties into them, and trunk sections don't hinge the way live wood does, so the crew has to work slower or use a lift or crane instead of climbing. That extra time and equipment shows up in the price, which is a good reason not to wait on a dying tree.

Yes. Limbs over the neighbor's side are tied off and lowered so nothing lands on their fence, shed or garden. It helps to let your neighbor know the date, since a crew member may need to step into their yard to guide a rope.

Some wear is normal where equipment travels. We lay plywood or mats over soft ground where we can, and winter removals on frozen ground often leave the least damage. Ruts or bare spots are pointed out at the end of the job, not left for you to discover.

Most mature shade trees do well with pruning every three to five years, with dead or broken limbs removed whenever they show up. Young trees benefit from light structural pruning every year or two while their shape is set. Fast-growing trees over roofs may need attention more often.

Sometimes, through crown reduction: shortening the tallest stems back to side branches that are large enough to take over. That keeps the tree's natural shape and avoids the decay and weak regrowth that topping causes. If a tree needs to lose too much to fit its space, removing and replanting is often the better choice.

No. Maples and birches bleed sap from cuts made in late winter and early spring when sap is rising. It looks dramatic but doesn't harm the tree, and it stops once the leaves are out.

In general you may trim limbs that cross onto your side, but not in a way that damages or kills the tree, and you shouldn't go onto the neighbor's property without permission. Talking with your neighbor first avoids most disputes. If the tree is in the devil strip, it's the city's tree, so call 311.

Because oak wilt spreads through fresh wounds during the warm months, when the beetles that carry its spores are active. Akron has lost oaks to the disease, and the guidance shared when the city warned residents was to avoid voluntary oak pruning from April 1 to October 1.

HomeGuide's national figures put the first stump at about $120 to $400, or roughly $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with each additional stump about $30 to $60 more. Large hardwood stumps can run $300 to $800. We give a written price after measuring.

Grinding chews the stump down below grade and leaves the deeper roots to rot in place. Full removal digs out the stump and root ball, usually with a backhoe, which leaves a large hole and tears up more of the yard. For most lawns, grinding is enough.

Yes, but grind deeper and wider, remove most of the chips and fill with good topsoil. Many people find it easier to plant a few feet to one side of the old stump, where the soil hasn't been filled with decaying wood.

Some species, such as tree-of-heaven, boxelder and some maples, can sprout from roots after grinding. Mowing or cutting the sprouts repeatedly usually exhausts them. Tree-of-heaven is worth chasing down because it's the spotted lanternfly's favorite host.

Get everyone out of the affected rooms, stay away from any downed wires, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or there's a gas smell. Report downed lines to Ohio Edison at 1-888-544-4877. Then call us to leave the details, and take photos for your insurance company if it's safe.

Often, when the tree damaged a covered structure such as the house, garage or a fence, usually up to a limit per tree. A tree that falls in the yard without hitting anything is often not covered. Policies vary, so check yours and talk with your agent.

If the tree came from the devil strip or is blocking the street, report it to the City of Akron at 311 (330-375-2311 from a cell phone). The city's forestry crew handles storm cleanup of street trees in the right-of-way.

Small limbs on the ground, yes, with care. Anything under tension, leaning on another tree or a structure, or near a wire should be left to a crew, because bent wood can spring back violently when it's cut.

Oak wilt in red oaks usually shows as leaves wilting and turning bronze or brown from the top of the crown downward, often in June or July, with leaves dropping while partly green. Other problems can look similar, so a closer look, and sometimes a lab test, is needed. Nearby oaks connected by roots are at risk too, which is why an early answer matters.

Researchers are still working on management, and no treatment is established as a cure. Ohio State University Extension reports that infected trees of all ages have died within two to seven years of symptoms, with smaller trees more affected. For a large beech near the house, the practical questions are how fast it's declining and when it becomes a risk.

If the tree is still healthy, with most of its canopy intact, insecticide treatment can protect it and must be repeated on a schedule. If a third or more of the crown is already dead, treatment rarely brings it back, and removal before the wood turns brittle is usually the safer path.

The Ohio State University Extension office for Summit County, at 440 Vernon Odom Blvd in Akron (330-928-4769), answers plant health questions and can point you to diagnostic services. ISA Certified Arborists can also take samples.

Static cabling and bracing involve drilling small holes for the anchors, and a healthy tree seals around them over time. Dynamic synthetic systems wrap the limbs instead of drilling. Either way, the support is meant to prevent a much bigger wound: a fork splitting apart.

Hardware can stay in service for many years if it's checked and adjusted as the tree grows. Synthetic systems usually have a shorter rated life than steel and need replacement on the maker's schedule. Inspections every year or two, and after major storms, are part of owning a cabled tree.

Sometimes, if the split is fresh, the wood is sound and the tree is otherwise healthy. Rods can be installed through the split and cables added above it. If the split runs deep into the main trunk or there's decay inside, removal is usually safer.

Usually, at the start. HomeAdvisor's 2026 figures put most cabling jobs at $200 to $400, compared with $590 to $799 for removing a medium tree in Akron per Homeyou. But a cabled tree needs pruning and inspections over the years, so it makes sense for trees you value, not as a way to put off a removal that's needed.