# creaking white oak



## murphy4trees (Jan 31, 2005)

Got a call from a customer that wanted this large white oak removed... said that it was making noise the other night.... "like the sound of a tree creaking, only 20x as loud"... 
Upon examination, the tree looks stable... ground was frozen and no apparent lift in the root plate (had to shovel 12" snow to examone area)... Very minor horizontal lines in the bark on tensioned side of tree... Very difficult to see any seperation in overhaed canopy, though ther may have been some, when seen from directly below...
I think the tree was just making noise.... unfortunately the trunk has no flare... this thing looks like a telephone pole... goes straight into the ground... No apparent soil disturbances for many years, though the tree is older than the house and only 15' away...
Fire department told hime to not sleep in the house... I laughed... I think the tree is OK and will tke a look again this spring, but wanted your opinions.. I was planning to set a safety line in it, but think that is a waste of time... Probably do some root crown excavation this spring...

See pic... white is is leaning towards house, in between tulip and black oak..


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## Lumberjack (Jan 31, 2005)

I cant say, because I aint a risk assement exspert, but you need to be very careful what you tell the client so you dont open yourself to liability. 

How do they know it was that tree? You might want to inspect the others in the area.

I was at my girlfriends house the other night and a tree failed while i was there. It was in a thicket behind the neighbors house.


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## ckliff (Jan 31, 2005)

all trees will eventually come down. ain't none of us living forever...
if your customer wants to pay a hefty price, maybe you would like some white oak lumber, and no root flare? I'd say that baby is history!


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## NickfromWI (Jan 31, 2005)

One time I "creak pruned" a tree! The tree made some loud creaking at every breeze. I went up, DWP'd the tree, and while climbing around, I was on one large lead, up towards the tips, able to make it move, and heard the creaking.

Turned out there used to be 2 branches rubbing, then one finally snapped off. The stub that was left was eventually rubbed down and was pushing on the other lead causing it to make the creaking sound in the same way game-hunters are able to make like turkey noises by pushing the little stick on the noise-maker thingy (spoken like a true vegetarian!)

Point is...what if you could just FIND the creak and see that it was just something that little!

love
nick


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## ROLLACOSTA (Jan 31, 2005)

ckliff said:


> all trees will eventually come down. ain't none of us living forever...
> if your customer wants to pay a hefty price, maybe you would like some white oak lumber, and no root flare? I'd say that baby is history!




the question Daniel is asking is 'WHY IS THIS TREE CREAKING' what's the reason ? where are the signs of failiure? like murphy4trees i would also like to know....we know the tree will comedown eventualy 'only rocks live for ever' [plains indian saying]


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## ROLLACOSTA (Jan 31, 2005)

no visible signs of tree failure so did the client really hear sounds coming from the tree!..this would be a good job for a 'TOMOGRAGRAPH [PICUS]just to be certain there are no inner cracks ,though the crack/split could be anywhere...good reading for a subject/hazard assessment like this is ''The body language of tree's'' by Claus Matteck


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## TheTreeSpyder (Jan 31, 2005)

Hey Daniel!

Any thought about placing support line, or movement limiter line in tree until inspection thaw time?


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## murphy4trees (Feb 2, 2005)

I was all set to do that... Ihad broght everything I need to set a safety support line. But I didn't want to waste my time and energy, because I was very confident the tree was not in danger of failing...


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## John Paul Sanborn (Feb 2, 2005)

I would make an offer to do an aerial inspection, as Nick suggests, to find the cause and asses.

I did it in a Willow once and it was determined that the tree was sound, but removing the noises would increase long term risk. That tree is still standing.


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## alanarbor (Feb 2, 2005)

murphy4trees said:


> unfortunately the trunk has no flare... this thing looks like a telephone pole... goes straight into the ground...



I would hesistate to laugh and tell a customer their tree is OK in that situation.

with a good trunk flare, I'd feel a lot better. It could be worth it to do an aerial inspection, just to be sure nothing's coming apart up there.


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## pbtree (Feb 4, 2005)

I concur - the oddest thing is the lack of a root flare. Makes one wonder what transpired in that trees past...


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## murphy4trees (Feb 4, 2005)

I've got an air knife in the shed... brand new and I gotta put together 3K for a compressor and wait for the ground to thaw.... that white oak is on top of the list... gonna find that root flare... Should be fun!


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## alanarbor (Feb 4, 2005)

3k for a compressor? Unless you're gonna keep the air spade busy all day every day, I'd just rent one when you need it @ 140/day. Buy your own hose though, the rental hoses are usually not too great.


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## jason j ladue (Feb 9, 2005)

i like the motion-limiting line/cabling idea. if you really wanted to know what was happening during a wind storm, couldnt you put a rope way up in that sucker and pull it around a little for you could give it a listen? kind of a hassle putting the rope in it, then removing it again, but if all went well, i.e it was decided that the tree must go or be otherwise worked on (ideally, you being the one to do the work), you wouldnt have to worry about that


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## jason j ladue (Feb 9, 2005)

looks to me from the pics like you just need a cable or two, and the badboy is going nowhere


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## a_lopa (Feb 9, 2005)

:Eye:


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## jason j ladue (Feb 10, 2005)

that tree could also hve a (big) split in it that is not visble from the ground. gotta climb it.


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## ROLLACOSTA (Feb 17, 2005)

so what was the outcome/verdict to the 'tree with the strange creaking in the night' ???


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