To some people, the trees in their backyard hold precious memories. Maybe you climbed it as a child, or it had a treehouse that was your most favorite spot. But it gets to a point where the tree just has to go.
For example, if a tree shows signs of dying and becomes a safety hazard to your property and the neighborhood, it is time to cut it down. You can cut it by yourself or hire a tree services provider to help you out.
If you decide to fell it yourself, never do this when cutting down a tree.
Start Working Without the Right Safety Gear
Wearing the right protective gear is vital when cutting down a tree. Even experienced tree surgeons will never go near a tree without the right gear. Buying the proper safety equipment and ensuring to wear them is the first step into safely felling a tree.
Ensure that high-quality gloves, special chaps, goggles, and hard hats. These gears will protect you from the high-speed particles generated when the chain saw grinds on the tree at the bare minimum.
The special chaps will protect you from the friction on the moving chain and protect your lower body, while the hard hats protect your face and head from danger. Googles will protect your eyes from debris and keep your sight clear.
Do It Without Help
Cutting a tree is not the same as mowing your lawn. For your safety, it is essential to have an assistant who will stand at a distance and keep an eye out for any hazards that might be out of your sight.
For example, another person must keep watch of the top of the tree and notify you when and in which direction the tree starts to fall, so you know when to vacate the area and avoid any possible danger.
Using Inefficient Equipment
Using the wrong equipment can easily make your job multiple times harder. For example, using a dull chain saw will not only hurt your hands but will also make the process a whole lot harder and time-consuming.
Before you start cutting down a tree, ensure that you have planned meticulously and have the proper equipment. Besides ensuring that the chain saw is well sharpened, check and ensure that the chain saw tension is well adjusted to handle the job.
Assuming You Know Everything
Like mentioned earlier, felling a tree is not mowing a lawn – you can not assume that you know everything there is to know. It is imperative to learn as much as you can but also prepare for the worst.
Even professional tree surgeons will tell you that there is nothing guaranteed when felling a tree. You might have the book knowledge of what cut will direct the tree to fall in what direction, but there are situations where the tree follows an entirely different route.
Therefore, do not be a know-it-all. Follow the correct tree-cutting method, keep an open mind and have emergency safety measures in place.
Not Removing the Stump
Most people who cut trees DIY forget the stump. However, these ignorable things can be a serious safety hazard. Therefore, remove the stump as soon as the tree falls.
There are several ways you can remove a tree stump. You can use a power tree grinder or a chemical tree stump removal which kills the tree and speeds up the rotting process. This will make the stump spongy and completely rotten in a few weeks.
Conclusion
It is relatively straightforward to cut down a tree. However, keep in mind that it takes more than just putting a chain saw on the tree stem and powering it up.
The points above are just a few of the things you can never do when cutting down a tree. However, this is not an exhaustive list.
Therefore, before committing to felling that tree, do proper research and ensure that you have all the necessary information. If you are not sure of the right way to proceed, call a tree cutting services Bethesda to help.