Many reasons play into why trees that surround your home and make up your landscape can need to be cut down. It may be necessary for the safety of the home and the proximity of the tree and its root system. Another reason is that the tree is dead or has become infested and without taking the tree down the rest of the trees in the yard could be affected. Aesthetic value could be another reason. Whatever the reason your landscape needs to be groomed it is important as a homeowner that you interview and hire tree removal contractors to make sure they are insured, trained and have a spotless record from their references.
When the day comes and the trees are marked the professionals will come out to trim and cut the trees down that have been agreed upon for removal. Professional tree removal companies follow certain specific steps as they remove your trees as the tree removal process is one in which dangers are real. If done incorrectly life and limb are literally at stake.
Professionals will a list of equipment similar to the one below:
More than one individual is necessary for all tree removal jobs
Ladders of all types including bucket ladders when necessary
Ropes
Wedges
Chainsaws with several bar lengths and power levels/gas
Falling Axes
Safety Gear (and it will be on) including; a quality hard hat, eye and ear protection, steel toe boots, work gloves and often leg coverings
First Aid Kit to treat injuries on site until emergency crews, if needed, can respond
The trees that are to be removed will be accessed. The crew will be looking out for dead branches on the tree and surrounding trees as well as cracks and loose bark on the tree. They will often times “hug” the tree to see what direction the tree is naturally leaning. Observations will be made regarding how the branches are spread about; the actual height of the tree, the drop zone as well as what other branches or trees could be in the way. The base will be examined for root instability. The team will consider weather conditions and wind direction as well BEFORE any branches or trees are cut.
One thing professionals due that we don’t often think about as homeowners is the escape route just in case the tree removal does not go exactly as anticipated. Many professionals look for trees close by that can be used as cover and an exit forty five degrees from the side and back of the trees.
The actual cutting process is one of the quickest parts of the process. You will note that professionals start with a first cut that is made into the tree at a horizontal angle. The first cut will be no more than 1/3 of the width of the tree. The tree will fall perpendicular to this first cut. From here tree removal professionals will make two wedge cuts. One on top of the first cut at a sixty degree angle and one below the first cut at a thirty degree angles. After this is done a cut will be made across from the first cut and a wedge put into place acting as a hinge for the falling tree. This is the cut that brings the tree down slowly as the wedge goes deeper into the tree.
Once the tree is on the ground safely is when limbs can be trimmed and chipped and the tree cut and stacked. Depending on the client’s needs tree removal companies offer to take the remnants away with them or leave them for use by the client. Branches and smaller limbs can be ground into wood chips and again left to be used by the client or taken away and disposed of. The safest way to have a tree removed from your yard is by a professional. Trees are unpredictable and an event that is meant to be harmless could turn out to be devastating.