How to Care For Your TreesHow to Care For Your Trees

If you have an old tree on your property that is in danger of falling, or one that is in the way of your view, you always want to have a professional tree felling service remove this tree for you. Never assume that you can cut down the tree on your own, even if you have a chainsaw and assume you're somewhat handy with such jobs. Note a few reasons why tree felling is best left to a professional landscaper or tree removal service, so you know when to discuss this job with them rather than tackling it yourself.

Felling direction

It's easy to think that a tree will fall away from the cut you make in the trunk, but this isn't always true. Branches often grow toward the sunlight, so a tree may have more branches or thicker branches on the side where it gets more sun, and be heavier on that side. In turn, the tree may actually fall in that direction once you start cutting the trunk.

The wind speed and direction can also affect the direction in which a tree falls. A professional tree feller will know to check these factors to determine how a tree is most likely to fall, and can then clear that path or compensate with added rope and bracing on the opposite side.

Checking for disease

When a tree is trimmed, it's always good to check it for disease. Diseased wood shouldn't be burned as firewood or chipped to be used as mulch, as this might cause air pollution or allow that disease to spread to the soil. A tree feller will know how to check for diseased wood before removing the tree, so this can be done safely and the wood can be disposed of properly as well.

Safety

There are many issues related to safety when it comes to felling a tree that you might easily overlook; for example, wood chips are often produced when you cut through the trunk, and these could come flying back at you. A tree feller will know if the trunk needs to first be stripped of bark, and how to cut it to reduce those chips. A chainsaw can also sometimes get stuck in the trunk of a tree if you try to cut too deeply before pulling it back out. A feller will know how to safely cut through the trunk without losing control of the saw, so it's best to leave this job to a professional, in order to keep yourself safe.