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3 Reasons to Leave Tree Work to the Professionals
Tree work may look simple. It’s not. While it may seem straightforward to trim or cut down a tree with some sharp implement, in reality, particularly with bigger jobs, it has all the potential for disaster. If something goes wrong, the negative potential outcomes include broken bones or other injuries, medical bills, damaged property, and an ugly landscape. Before you decide to do a tree job yourself, think about what it might cost to fix any mistakes you make – and then compare it to the cost of hiring a professional.
Here are three reasons a professional is better for trimming and felling trees:
Knowledge and Training –
What do you know about trees? Do you know where, how, and how fast they will fall if you make a certain cut with a certain tool? How to guide them down into the proper drop zone if necessary? Do you know how to safely operate within the space of an upended root ball? Professional arborists have accumulated years of knowledge about trees, and they can predict where the risks are in any certain job. They also know about tree disease and pests and the risks they pose not only to the people removing the tree, but to the environment itself, including other healthy trees nearby.
Experience –
The proper training can make you aware of potential problems or threats, but working with trees for years will create a habit of situational awareness that is hard to acquire otherwise. Tree professionals know how to work with trees that are close to or tangled in electrical wires and how to avoid getting electrocuted. They also work in teams and look out for each other to further protect against danger. Too many homeowners underestimate the difficulty of working around electrical wires or taking down a tree alone, and every year there are needless injuries and fatalities when amateurs attempt it.
Tools For Tree Work –
As with any professional, arborists have both the correct tools and the working knowledge of those tools which is an enormous aid. Many homeowners have chainsaws and ladders, but they do not use them enough in the right situations to understand how dangerous they can be if used incorrectly. Every year approximately 36,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for chainsaw injuries. Tree care professionals also have machines like stump grinders, wood chippers, and aerial lifts. Without these, even the hardest working amateur may not be able to do a professional looking job with some trees.
While it may seem like hiring a tree professional is not DIY enough or taking the easy way out, the fact is that tree work is often difficult and dangerous without the right tools and experience. Do yourself a favor and call a professional. Your body, your property, and your landscaping will thank you.