Don’ts When Undertaking Tree Removal

— January 19, 2016

Are you thinking about undertaking tree removal? You need to be cautious of how you go about it as you don’t want to do the wrong things that will put you into problems. Here are some don’ts that you should observe to avoid being on the wrong side:

Don’t forget protective gear

You need to be ultra-cautious about your safety when you are bringing down the tree; therefore, you should have your safety gear all the time. To protect your ears from the noise coming from the chainsaw, you should wear earmuffs.

It’s also wise to wear steel-toed, cut-resistant boots to protect your feet. Experts also recommend that you wear eye protection, work gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt to protect you against scratches.

The cool thing is that you can find most of the protective gear from your local store. When buying the attire, go for high-quality pieces that will not only provide you with maximum protection, but also last for a long time.

Don’t use an old chainsaw

Many people cutting trees for the first time tend to think that they can use any saw, but this is wrong. Tree cutting isn’t a simple act; therefore, you should have a high quality, and properly maintained chainsaw.

If you can afford it, you should buy a new saw from your local store. If you are looking to cut only one tree, you don’t have to spend a lot of money buying the machine. You should simply rent it. You can also borrow it from a friend. When borrowing, ensure that the saw is properly maintained.

Don’t work alone

Again, this is a mistake made by people cutting trees for the first time. You can cut a small tree by yourself, but when the tree is large, you should avoid doing it by yourself. This is because things can easily get out of hand putting your life and that of others at risk.

The best way out is to have someone a few feet away from you watching for falling branches and letting you know when the tree is about to fall. Your assistant should give you a signal so that you can vacate the area so that you don’t endanger your lives.

Don’t try cutting down a rotten tree

If a tree is healthy, you can easily bring it down with your assistant, regardless of its size, but if it’s rotten, you should leave it to the tree services professionals. If the heart of the tree is rotten, the tree can fall in any direction putting your life and property at risk.

In addition to this, the dead limbs on the tree can shake loose, landing on you during the cutting, which puts your life in danger.

For you to be on the safe side, avoid cutting the tree, even if the rotten areas are just minimal.

Don’t cut the trees near power lines and structures

Just as you shouldn’t try cutting down rotten trees, you also should avoid cutting down trees that are near power lines and structures. This is for obvious reasons—there are minimal chances that you will be able to fell the tree away from the power lines or structures, especially if this is your first time.

If the tree is in a challenging area, you should hire a professional to help you with the removal.

Don’t leave stumps

Once you have brought down the tree, you shouldn’t leave the stump. In addition to the stump being a hazard as you can easily trip on it, it also tends to give your house an ugly look. Pests and insects also tend to infest on the stump, making the situation worse.

The best way out is to remove the stump as soon as possible. The cool thing is that there are plenty of stump removal techniques you can use. If you have the skills you can remove it by yourself but if you have never done it before, hire a professional to help you out.