Large, mature trees make your property look more attractive and feel livelier. Not only do they help reduce heat loss during winter, but they also keep your home cool in summer.
Despite its numerous benefits, there’ll come a time when you must remove the large tree in your yard. This could be due to old age, severe storm damage, or weakening from a disease or insects.
But this can be a challenging and risky affair. You might want to hire a professional arborist. In this post, we delve deeper to see how to remove an established tree, as advised by a trusted provider of emergency tree removal in Alpharetta.
Mind Your Safety!
Before you start cutting a large tree, you need to ensure everything and everyone around is safe. The last thing you want is to deal with any accident, injury, or damage from falling limbs or trunk sections.
Remove cars, equipment, and other items from the area beforehand, and keep your pets and children at a safe distance. Don’t forget about wearing gloves, helmets, masks, and other safety gear during the tree-cutting process!
Check Legal Restrictions
You can’t talk about how to remove an established tree without mentioning legalities. Before you remove a tree from your property, check if the law allows you to do so.
If a dead tree near your home is posing a danger to you and your loved ones, you may cut it. However, you’ll need to prove the danger and obtain a permit.
Start With Lower Branches
When it comes to removing an established tree, it’s safe to cut off the lower branches first. You can use a chainsaw because these branches are larger and heavier than their higher counterparts. Be sure to control their fall with a rope.
Remove the Upper Branches
Using a reciprocating saw, cut the higher branches off, as you did with the lower ones. Start by setting up a tripod ladder or securing your extension ladder to the tree using a rope. Don’t climb the tree with the saw in your hand — it’s much safer to carry it with a rope!
Take Down the Trunk
Once you remove all the branches, it’s time to cut the trunk down with a chainsaw. Make a right-angle notch in the trunk, roughly a quarter of the tree’s diameter, in the direction you want the tree to fall.
If the trunk is too large to fall safely, consider cutting it into sections. After creating the notch, ask your assistant to pull the rope, directing the tree’s falling path. They should stand at a distance twice the height of the tree.
Remove the Stumps
You’re better off hiring a professional to grind and remove the stump after cutting down the tree.
Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance
Want to know more about how to remove an established tree, including the tree removal cost? Georgia Tree Company is your go-to local arborist. The technique they use depends on the size of the tree, and we provide transparent cost estimates to help you plan accordingly. Call us at 404-990-0010 for your free estimate or to learn why tree roots are damaging the foundation.