Sometimes, you need to remove a tree from your property. This could be because the tree is too old to maintain or because it has been damaged in some way and it’s risky to keep it. However, the process of tree removal is not so simple as it seems and you should never take an axe or a saw and start working without proper preparation. Here are 10 most important things you should consider before tree removal.
1. You may have no right to remove trees on private property
Make sure that the regulations in your area allow you to cut down trees on private property. More likely than not, you will have to ask for official approval from the local authorities to perform the work.
2. A tree can be important from the environmental point of view
Cutting down a tree can have significance from the environmental perspective. Trees take in harmful carbon dioxide so that people don’t breathe it in. They also make the soil more solid preventing its erosion, and provide other important benefits. So, before removing a tree you should ask the opinion of an environmentalist or arborist concerning the impact of the tree on the local nature.
3. Branches may fall in unexpected places in the course of tree removal
Falling branches may present a considerable risk as you never know where exactly they will land, especially if they are rotten. That may lead to serious injuries and sometimes to fatality. So, we highly recommend you to keep from cutting branches high up a tree without any prior experience or special tools.
4. Electrical wire may be dangerous
While removing a branch next to an electrical wire, you are running a risk of electrocution. In addition, when a tree touches an electrical wire, a fire may break out. That may cause a lot of damage in and around your property.
5. Working high up a tree is not safe
While using a ladder or a special platform for removing branches at height is relatively safe, doing so just standing on a lower branch can lead to deplorable consequences. Your foot may slip, a branch may snap, a sudden gust of wind may blow, and you will fall down on the ground injuring yourself badly.
6. You may have to deal with decaying wood
You can sound out a tree before its removal, of course. And you may even manage to tell if it is hollow or solid. However, only an expert can say for sure if the wood is really decaying. In addition, sounding out must be performed at different heights.
7. You may injure yourself with tools
You can pride yourself on being a skillful carpenter proficient at working with all the wood processing tools. However, using this equipment when you stand with one foot on a branch is a completely different matter.
8. Consider people around you
Even if you have taken every possible precaution against injuring yourself in the process of tree removal, you may still put other people’s health or lives at risk. So, unless you have undergone proper training and are entirely confident in yourself, consider using professional services.
9. You may damage your own or your neighbor’s property
In the event that the tree you are going to remove grows directly over your property or that of your neighbor, the risk of inflicting damage on it is very high. Remember that in that case you will have to cover all the expenses for restoring the property. It’s a good idea to take photos of everything in the vicinity of the tree before you remove it.
10. Make sure you know how to react when the tree is falling
When the tree is falling down, you should never turn your back on it. That way you can avoid potential injuries or even death.
With so many risks involved in tree removal, it is advisable to seek the services of professional arborists. They will take care of every issue related to cutting down a tree, starting from obtaining permission from your local authorities to getting rid of the tree stump.
