Many homeowners are tempted to go down the DIY route when it comes to yard work. When you look at unsightly overgrown trees, you’d think that pruning them is as easy as cutting or chopping. While this is true when it comes to small branches and short shrubs, however, know that working with large trunks is time-consuming and risky. Even if you’re an expert climber and own a set of power tools, you can easily hurt yourself and get hit by a falling branch. In some cases, these accidents can even be fatal.
There’s a reason why professional tree service companies like us offer their services. This is because it takes great skill and knowledge to safely remove branches and saw down a full-grown tree. Before you pick up that chainsaw and ladder, ask yourself these four essential questions:
1. Am I fully insured?
When working with trees in your yard, expect accidents to happen. Whether it’s a falling limb or broken tools, these unfortunate incidents may cause injury to residents and harm your property. Often, the damage may even extend to your neighbour’s yard. Before you attempt to DIY any tree work, review the scope of your insurance to avoid paying expensive repair fees.
When you hire a professional arborist, you can rest assured that you are covered in case of an accident. They’re also trained to evaluate the scope of the job to create minimal disturbance.
2. Do I have the time?
Pruning and taking down a tree doesn’t often happen in one go. Oftentimes, these are time-consuming tasks, especially if you’re working alone and don’t have the right tools. Factor in your fatigue, possible injuries, broken equipment and performing this task within an afternoon won’t be enough. Professional tree services typically send out a team of skilled workers to efficiently remove a tree as quickly as possible.
Tree pruning and land clearing we completed at Copacabana on the Central Coast in December 2019.
3. Do I know how to cut down a tree?
Keep in mind that there is a significant difference between working with shrubs and plants and pruning large, fully grown trees. This is because it takes years of experience to know how to do the job properly. Remember that once you’re up in a tall branch, you can’t simply climb down to evaluate your work.
Part of a professional arborist’s training is to know how to identify different trees to determine the appropriate approach. They also know the right climbing techniques and have high-quality equipment, such as ropes, chainsaws, cranes, and other safety gear.
4. Do I have the tools?
When cutting large tree canopies and branches, you need to always have the right power tools. You’ll need a pruning saw, a powerful chainsaw, sharp shears, and other power tools. Aside from sawing, you need to consider how to get up to the high parts of a tree. Because ladders may easily slip and cause serious injuries, professional tree care services typically use cranes to lift themselves up. Once there, they have high-quality ropes, harnesses, carabineers, and other protective gear to keep them safe as they perform the job.
If you can answer yes to all these questions, then you may be able to safely proceed with your major yard project. If you fail to check any one of these items, then, it’s best to leave the tree pruning to the experts. In doing so, you’ll receive faster results while avoiding injuries and extra costs.
If you are looking for tree removal services in Gosford, NSW, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.