Frequently Asked Questions

It depends most on the tree's height, how close it is to buildings or wires, and how easy it is to reach. HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide puts most removals between about $200 and $2,000, and Homeyou's Dayton figures put a medium tree at roughly $560 to $760. Tight backyards and trees over roofs land at the upper end. Trimming usually costs less than removal. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

A tree that stands entirely on your own lot is generally your decision in Dayton. Trees in the street right-of-way, such as most trees between the sidewalk and the curb, are not: the zoning code requires written approval from the Department of Public Works before one is removed, plus a replacement tree the department approves. We point out any tree that looks like it sits in the right-of-way at the estimate.

AES Ohio, the utility for most of the Dayton area, sends its own line-clearance contractors to keep its lines at least 10 feet clear; before circuit work it places an automated call and a planner usually leaves a door hanger. Those crews do not trim around the service line that runs from the pole to your house, and AES leaves keeping that line clear to the property owner. Never cut limbs touching any wire yourself. If branches are resting on the service line, call AES Ohio at 888-582-3213 to talk through making it safe, and then we can handle the tree.

In Ohio you can generally trim branches that cross onto your side of the line, but you cannot damage the tree itself. Ohio law makes a person who recklessly cuts or injures a tree on someone else's land liable for up to three times the damage, so talk to your neighbor first and keep cuts at the property line. We prune to the line without topping or harming the tree.

Sometimes. A healthy ash with most of its canopy intact can often be protected with insecticide treatment repeated every few years. An ash that has lost a third or more of its crown, or shows heavy woodpecker damage and bark splits, is usually past saving. Because dead ash becomes brittle, an ash near a house, driveway or street is best dealt with before it dies.

Late winter, while trees are dormant, works well for most shade trees: the structure is easy to see and cuts close quickly in spring. Oaks should be pruned from about November through March to avoid spreading oak wilt. Dead or broken limbs over a roof or driveway can come off any time of year.

Call (937) 884-1695 and leave the address, what fell and what it hit, and we will call back to work out the next step. If a tree is on a power line, stay well away and call the utility first. Trees on houses and trees blocking a way out get the earliest visits after a storm.

Only if you want it. Stump grinding is priced as its own line on the quote so you can choose. Many people grind it the same day; others leave it for later or keep it as a base for a planter.

HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide puts a tree up to 30 feet at roughly $150 to $450 and trees of 60 to 80 feet at roughly $800 to $1,500, and Homeyou's Dayton figures put a medium tree at about $560 to $760. On Dayton's tighter lots, the need to lower everything by rope often matters more than height. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

Yes. That is what sectional removal is for: the tree is taken apart from the top, and pieces are lowered on ropes into a small drop zone. For very large or badly decayed trees, a crane can lift sections out over the house.

Often, yes. Dead ash becomes brittle and can break unexpectedly, so climbing and rigging take longer and a lift may be needed. HomeAdvisor's guide also notes that hard-to-reach trees can cost 25% to 50% more. Removing a dying ash before it is fully dead is usually easier.

If the trunk sits on the line, the tree may belong to both of you, and Ohio law holds a person liable for up to triple damages for recklessly cutting a tree on someone else's land. Talk with your neighbor and agree in writing before a shared tree comes down.

That is your choice, and it goes on the quote. We can leave rounds for you to split, cut logs to firewood length and stack them, or haul everything away. Chips can be left in a pile for mulch.

People use the words interchangeably. Pruning usually means selective cuts for the tree's health and structure, while trimming is often used for clearance work, such as lifting limbs off a roof. A good job does both with the same kind of correct cuts.

No. Topping cuts through large limbs at random points, which leaves stubs that decay and triggers dense, weakly attached sprouts. The tree often ends up more dangerous in a few years. Reduction pruning, which shortens limbs back to a healthy side branch, lowers the height without those problems.

Mature shade trees usually need a check every three to five years, and young trees benefit from light structural pruning every couple of years while they grow. Fast-growing silver maples and trees over a roof may need attention more often.

Usually you can have branches cut back to the property line, as long as the tree itself is not harmed. Let your neighbor know first. We prune to the line with proper cuts rather than hacking off whatever overhangs.

In the dormant season, roughly November through March. Oak wilt can enter through fresh wounds while the sap beetles that carry it are active, so the usual Midwest guidance is to avoid routine oak pruning from April through October.

No. Dayton's zoning code prohibits topping trees in the street right-of-way, and topping harms any tree because the stubs rot and resprout as weakly attached shoots. If a street tree is crowding wires or the house, the city's Public Works forestry staff decide what is done to it. On your own trees, reduction cuts back to a lateral branch are the sound way to shorten a crown.

AES Ohio's contractors clear the utility's lines to at least 10 feet, but they do not trim around the service line from the pole to your house; AES leaves that to the owner. Those branches are a normal part of a residential pruning quote. If limbs are actually resting on the wire, call the utility before anyone works on them.

Typically 6 to 12 inches below the soil surface, which is deep enough to cover with topsoil and grass. If you plan to plant a shrub or put in a patio in the same spot, tell us at the estimate and we can grind deeper.

LawnStarter's 2026 guide puts a typical stump grinding job at about $131 to $438, often figured at $2 to $5 per inch of diameter with a minimum near $100, and each extra stump on the same visit at about $37 to $70. We measure and give a written price.

For most trees, no: once the stump is gone the roots decay over a few years. A few species, such as some poplars and Callery pears, can send up root sprouts for a while. Those can be mowed or cut as they appear.

Yes, the locate should be done before any grinding, because the grinder goes below the surface. We place the request ourselves ahead of the job. Let us know about private lines that utilities will not mark.

Rake the chips out, fill with topsoil, tamp it down and seed or sod. Leftover wood chips break down and the soil settles, so you may need to top it up after a few months.

Not usually. The Montgomery County Solid Waste District's yard waste drop-off at 1001 Encrete Lane in Moraine takes brush and logs up to 24 inches across, but it lists stumps as unacceptable. Grinding the stump in place and using the chips as mulch avoids the disposal question.

Often, when a tree falls on a covered structure such as the house, garage or a fence, though limits and deductibles vary by policy. Trees that fall in the yard without hitting anything are often not covered. Call your insurer, take photos before work starts, and keep the written quote and invoice.

Not until the utility has made the line safe. Report it to AES Ohio or your electric company and keep everyone well away. Once the line is de-energized or cleared, we can remove the tree.

It usually depends on what it hit and whose insurance covers it. In many cases each homeowner's own policy handles damage to their own property, especially if the tree was healthy and fell in a storm. If the tree was obviously dead beforehand, the answer can change. Your insurer is the right first call.

You can call (937) 884-1695 any time to leave details. Cutting a loaded tree in the dark is dangerous, so most work is done in daylight; overnight, the priority is keeping people away from the tree and any wires and covering roof openings.

Not always. If the trunk is sound and the tree kept most of its crown, pruning the torn wound back to a clean cut may be enough. If the break exposed decay, split the trunk or took out a third or more of the canopy, removal is usually the safer choice. We tell you which after looking.

Dayton collects yard waste through its scheduled bulk pickup, one Friday a month, booked through Dayton Delivers or 937-333-4800. Limbs must be tied in bundles no longer than 4 feet, no more than 18 inches across and no heavier than 25 pounds each. Anything bigger, and the trunk wood from a fallen tree, is a hauling job, which is why cleanup terms go on our written quote.

Yes, though the peak has passed. Most untreated ash in the Miami Valley have already died, but many dead and declining ash are still standing, and small ash continue to sprout from seed and get attacked as they grow. Treated ash need treatment to continue.

Yes, for use at home. USDA ended its federal emerald ash borer quarantine in late 2020, but moving firewood long distances still spreads pests, so burn it close to where it was cut. Dead ash splits and burns well once seasoned.

Usually within a few years of the first visible thinning, and untreated ash across an infested area are expected to be dead within about ten years. Once the canopy is badly thinned, the tree is unlikely to recover even with treatment.

Pick a species that suits the spot and is not already common on your street, so one pest cannot wipe them all out. Oaks, Kentucky coffeetree, hackberry, tuliptree, serviceberry and many maples do well in southwest Ohio. Avoid Callery pear, which Ohio banned from sale in 2023.

HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide lists ash removal at about $250 to $1,800 nationally, and Homeyou's Dayton figures put a medium tree at roughly $560 to $760. A dead ash close to a house usually costs more than a live tree of the same size, because brittle wood calls for slower work or a lift. We give a written price after seeing it.

Often, yes. Fungi at the base or on the root flare usually mean decay in the roots or lower trunk, and that decay is hidden. Some species are much more serious than others, so it is worth having the tree looked at, especially if it stands near the house or a street.

There are several possible causes, including drought stress, root damage and leaf diseases. Oak wilt is the one to rule out quickly in red oaks, because it can kill a tree in a single season and spread to nearby oaks through grafted roots. A quick check can tell you which it is likely to be.

For an obvious problem, such as a split trunk or a dead tree, no. For subtler signs, like a fungus, a crack or a lean that has changed, a trained eye helps. We give our opinion at a free estimate when the question is whether to prune or remove.

A tree that has leaned the same way for years and grown upright at the top is usually stable. A lean that appeared suddenly, especially with cracked or heaved soil on the opposite side, is a warning sign that roots have failed, and that tree should be checked right away.

It is worth watching for. Spotted lanternfly was confirmed established in parts of Ohio by 2021; it feeds on many trees and crops and especially favors tree of heaven. If you see adults (about an inch long, grayish-brown forewings with black spots and red hind wings) or their yellowish-brown, waxy egg masses on trunks, stones or vehicles, report them to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.