Why Is It Important for You to Hire an ISA Certified Arborist?

The first thing I'll say is, would you let just anybody diagnose your sickness? Hopefully not. You would want someone who has gone to school and has extensive knowledge in the field. ISA Certified Arborists are essentially doctors for trees. They take a board exam and are required to maintain their credentials by taking numerous quizzes throughout each year.

When you hire an arborist, they may be more expensive than the guy off of Craigslist. However, you are paying for their knowledge, experience, and an investment in your trees.

Tree work is dangerous and should only be done by trained and equipped professionals.

At Artmire's, we have an ISA Certified Arborist, and a trained and equipped crew. We follow the standards of the International Society of Arboriculture and ANSI A300 specifications and guidelines. We care about the proper treatment for your trees and above all we care about exceptional customer service.

Also, please keep in mind that we are licensed and insured with Full Commercial General Liability and Workers' Compensation Insurance. Please make sure anyone you hire for your trees has General Liability Insurance and is adequately covered.

What an ISA Certification Involves

ISA stands for the International Society of Arboriculture. To earn the Certified Arborist credential, a person generally has to show a combination of hands-on tree care experience and education, then pass a broad written exam. The exam covers things like tree biology, identification, soils, pruning, diagnosing problems, tree risk, and safe work practices.

The credential is not a one-time badge. To keep it, an arborist has to keep learning and log continuing education on a regular cycle. That is what makes certification a useful signal: it tells you the person making calls about your tree has studied the science and stays current on it.

Why It Matters for Your Trees

Most tree damage that homeowners regret was done by someone who meant well. Topping a tree, cutting the wrong limb, or removing a tree that could have been saved are all mistakes that are hard or impossible to undo. A certified arborist is trained to read the whole tree: its species, its structure, its roots, the soil it stands in, and what the weather and the site are likely to do to it. That is how you get a recommendation to prune, treat, cable, or remove that is based on the tree rather than on a guess.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Tree Company

Whoever you call, a good company will answer these without hesitation:

• Is there an ISA Certified Arborist on staff, and will that person actually look at my trees?
• Can you show me proof of general liability and workers' compensation insurance?
• Do you follow ANSI A300 pruning standards?
• Will you give me a written estimate that spells out the work and the cleanup?
• Can you provide references from recent jobs?
• Do you plan to top the tree or use climbing spikes on a tree that is staying? (Either is usually a red flag.)

The Bottom Line

A cheaper bid can look attractive until a limb lands on a roof, an uninsured worker gets hurt on your property, or a healthy tree is ruined by bad cuts. Hiring a trained, insured, certified crew costs more up front, and it protects your trees, your home, and your family.