Tree care and maintenance can be a complex and even dangerous job, but it’s also important for the health of your trees. The best way to avoid personal accidents or tree damage is by hiring a professional arborist, like the arborists here at Five Star Tree Services.
One of the most dangerous tree services we provide is tree removal. For this reason, if you have a tree on your property that needs to be removed, we always recommend calling the professionals for help. Here are 8 important things you should know before our tree removal experts arrive.
Preparation
If you want to help out your tree removal specialists, consider plotting out any underground plumbing and pipes, such as lawn sprinkler systems, or other objects in advance. This will help them to prevent any accidental damage.
Tools Needed to Remove a Tree
To do any job efficiently, you need proper tools. These tools will be brought by your tree removal team and will vary based on your trees location. It would be harmful to the rest of your property to drive complex machinery over your flower bed, and a few shovels won’t help you disgorge a massive oak. Some of the other tools that may be used include chainsaws, axes, safety gear, trucks, and grinders for the stump.
Sounding Out the Tree
Before starting, the tree removal specialist will tap an axe against the trunk. If they hear a hollow sound coming from the trunk, chances are the tree is dying or already dead. If a solid sound is heard, the tree is still alive. In this case, the tree will require more effort to be cut. Tree removal specialists find the spots where cutting is the easiest by tapping the tree at different heights, listening for the more hollow points.
Protective Gear Needed
There are several items that you or anyone working on trees should use during removal. This includes hardhats, gloves, safety glasses, and other personal protective equipment. This will help cut down on any accidents and prevent bodily harm.
Understanding the Fall Zone
Before removing a tree, our tree removal experts will check and see which way it tends to lean. This will help to determine the best way to cut the tree and in which direction it is most likely to fall. Picking a spot or area that is level is also important to prevent the tree from bouncing and rolling once it falls over.
Safe Tree Cutting
Whoever is cutting the tree should avoid standing directly behind it as it falls. Often, the stump will snap, which can cause the tree to kick backward. Anyone standing directly behind the tree is at risk of suffering a severe injury due to this kickback.
Reacting to the Tree Falling
Planning out the tree fall area will help prevent panic when it does finally go down. When the tree is on its way to the ground, make sure to stay out of the fall area to avoid injury. Never turn your back on a falling tree since any sudden shift can alter its trajectory completely.
Failed Cuts
Even if a tree doesn’t fall after it has been cut, it should never be approached with a running chainsaw. Instead, a rope should be tied around the tree and pressure can be applied to bring it down.
How We Can Help
If you’re not careful when removing a tree, it is easy to end up injuring yourself or damaging your property. This is why it is so necessary to hire a professional tree removal company like Five Star Tree Services for help. If you have any questions or want an estimate for your Richmond Hill tree removal project, please give us a call at (416) 990-3355 today.