The Dangers of DIY Tree Removal

Tree removal is a job for professionals. Homeowners who risk the dangers of DIY tree removal can be badly injured or killed, or cause serious injury to someone else. Taking down a tree on your own as a means of saving money can end up costing you thousands in hospital bills for yourself, or damages in lawsuits brought by others you harmed through amateur and dangerous tree cutting.

It’s Not as Simple as You Think

Taking down a tree requires an expert plan of action. Licensed tree removal services with certified arborists on staff can look at a tree and determine how the tree will fall. They can recognize dangerous branches that must be removed before the tree comes down, and threats to structures from dead or dying trees. Those not trained in how to bring a tree down to land in the chosen direction may end up with a tree through their roof or destroying a neighbor’s fence.

Chainsaws

The saws that can bring down a large tree are heavy and powerful. They can be unpredictable in untrained hands, making them exceptionally dangerous. Many homeowners aren’t aware that chainsaws are subject to “kickback,” where the saw suddenly bounces back toward the operator. Tree removal service staff are trained in the safe operation of chainsaws. A tool that can bring down an old-growth tree can slice off a limb before you know it.

Weight

Tree branches are enormously heavy. Those without expertise in the various species of trees would be amazed at how dense and weighty even small branches on some kinds of trees can be. The risks of DIY tree removal include merrily sawing off a tree limb only to watch it plow an enormous gouge in your or a neighbor’s lawn.

Falls

Tree removal professionals use safety harnesses, ropes, hardhats, and bucket trucks, and know how to establish a safety perimeter around the work area. Climbing a ladder with a chainsaw is a monumentally bad idea. Likewise, climbing a tree with a chainsaw slung over your shoulder could result in life-threatening injury from a fall – especially if you land on the saw.

Electrocution

As trees grow, they often approach power lines. While your electric utility company may trim trees away from lines that run alongside or in front of your property, they won’t do anything about branches on your property that could bring down the wires leading to your home. They might shut off the power if live wires come down, but they probably won’t help clear the mess caused by errant branches. Licensed, trained tree removal companies can proactively remove branches that will become a hazard to power lines. They know how to protect their workers and how to take a tree down safely without causing severe injury or death from contact with electrical wires.

Professional Arborists Can Help

Avoid the dangers of trimming or removing trees yourself. Good Morning Tree Service provides tree removal services and general tree care to Austin TX and surrounding areas – from Wimberley to Killeen.