If you're a nature lover and hate interfering with the natural order of things, it might upset you to think about cutting down a mature tree. However, when a tree becomes dangerous, it is necessary to sacrifice the tree for your family's safety. There are numerous reasons why a tree has to be cut down, although you may want to try various methods of saving it first. Here's a look at when trees become dangerous and how they are removed.
When Trees Should Be Removed For Safety
Sometimes a damaged tree can be saved by bracing it or treating it for an infection. But when the tree is dying or frail, it should be removed because it is in danger of falling over during a storm. Fungal infections, insect damage, and storm damage can turn a mature tree into a safety hazard.
Another thing that makes a tree dangerous is if it wasn't planted in the right place. It may grow at an angle to reach the sun if it is planted in too much shade or it may be crowded by other trees. If a tree is leaning, it might become structurally unsound, especially if the roots are affected, and the tree isn't anchored securely. Trees that get so big that they grow into your house or damage your roof need to go so you can avoid structural damage to your home.
How Dangerous Trees Are Removed
Dangerous trees require special treatment when they're removed. Rotted wood or weak limbs may not react the same way as healthy wood when the tree is climbed or cut. The direction of the fall has to be controlled tightly, so no damage is done to your house or property. Cutting down trees is always dangerous work, but removing a damaged tree that's leaning on an embankment or hanging over a roof requires special skills.
The first step is to remove as many lower limbs as possible to get them out of the way. This might be done by climbing the tree or by standing in a cherry picker. These limbs are guided to the ground and then cut into smaller chunks for ease of handling. When enough limbs have been removed, the tree is cut in the trunk so the top part of the tree can be lowered to the ground.
While this is done in a controlled manner, there could still be some limbs and branches snapping as well as crashing and thumping since trees are so heavy and they can be unpredictable in the way they land. However, a professional uses precise cuts that control the direction the tree falls to reduce the risk it will land on your house or on a neighbor's car.
After that, the lower part of the tree is removed at the trunk until all that's left is the stump. The stump can also be ground away to a depth below the soil line, so the tree is completely removed from your yard. With the dangerous tree gone, your family will be much safer during the next heavy rain, or when the wind is strong, so it is well worth it to have the tree taken out as soon as possible.
For more information, contact a company like T's Trees.
After thinking about how to keep some of the flowers in my yard alive, it occurred to me that we had some real problems on our hands. For starters, we had a bunch of overgrown trees that needed to be dealt with. The second thing we had to take care of was the fact that we were really behind on basic yard care. I started talking with friends and neighbors about what they did to make things better, and they recommended a local tree service company. After they came out and made some changes, my yard was gorgeous. Learn more about tree care on my blog.