You’ve seen the many tree-mishap videos on YouTube—don’t be added to this list of video “entertainment.” Removing trees is risky business and more complicated that it may seem initially. It’s not worth sacrificing your safety to save money. Tree removal can be pricey, but it’s because there are a host of issues that can happen, and it takes a great amount of training and skill to do it right. Proper tree removal involves a knowledge of tree physics, cutting techniques, tool usage, biology, and more. It’s not only dangerous for novices to attempt, but it can endanger other people and property, too. Before chopping down that tree, honestly address these risks to make sure you are performing the job safely, and contact Timber Ridge Tree Service for questions:
- Assess power line proximity: If you’re around live wires, it’s most likely not a good idea to fell that tree yourself. You could knock the power out in your neighborhood (the best scenario, all things considered) or get electrocuted (the worst scenario). Many people think the black coating on power lines is insulation, offering a little protection if you touch them, but this is not true. It is a weather-proofing material for the cable, and you can still get electrocuted through that material.
- Proper equipment: Tree removal professionals are required by OSHA to have specific protective gear from head to toe. They are also trained in the proper usage for powerful equipment necessary for felling a tree. Chain saws, cranes, ropes, and woodchippers are all potentially dangerous equipment if you don’t know how to operate them correctly. Just because you can rent heavy equipment, doesn’t always mean you should. Safety should always be considered first.
- Training for various projects: Each tree removal project is unique and requires a different approach to ensure the safety of the surroundings and guarantee the success of the tree removal. Professionals have been trained on what to look out for and what to assess before starting the cutting and removal process.
- Working with unstable trees: If you need to remove a tree, it’s probably because it’s dead, dying, or diseased. This makes the tree very unstable because the wood is most likely decaying from the inside out. A professional should be brought in to remove decaying trees because there are critical biological factors in the understanding of when and how to remove trees in this particular condition.
- No control over gravity: Once that tree starts coming down, there isn’t a lot you can do about where it goes. You may think you know which direction it will fall, and sometimes people do get lucky, but too often it doesn’t work out that way. Even if you carefully cut indentations or use ropes to influence its direction, it could still shift and fall a different direction. Poor judgement here can cause a wealth of damage, both with personal injury and in property damage.
If you have trees that need removal, only trust a professional for this complex task. Reach out to Timber Ridge Tree Service for all tree-related needs.
