Improving Your Landscaping

Posted on: 27 May 2016

If you have a dangerous tree in your yard, you may want to remove it before it falls over on its own. You want to bring down the tree safely and under control so that you don't end up with a tree on your house or car, or tangled up in power lines. If you decide that you want to do it on your own, there are some tips and safety suggestions that you are going to need to know. 

Wear Safety Gear

Chopping down a tree safely doesn't mean you go out and run your chainsaw in shorts and sandals. There is some specific safety gear that you are going to want to wear. One important piece of that gear is a helmet. Once you start cutting the tree, things might fall. You want to end up with a chopped down tree, not a concussion. The helmet will help to avoid that problem. See if you can find a specific loggers helmet. They also have the option of a face shield to protect your face from splinters or chips. Even if you have a face shield, get some protective glasses too. It's better to have the additional protection for your eyes. You should also wear heavy work gloves, ear protection, and heavy clothing. You may want to try wearing pants that have some kevlar in them in case your chainsaw slips. You can look for these at places like motorcycle clothing and supply shops. 

Use the Right Tools

You wouldn't use a hammer to screw in a screw because it's not the right tool for the job. Likewise, you don't want to use the wrong things for taking down a tree. One reason for this is that the right tools make the job go smoother and make sure that the tree falls down the way that you want it to. 

Wedges

If you don't have any wedges, you need to go out and buy some before you start. The reason that you want to have these wedges is that they hold the tree open after you make your initial cut. Holding that cut open makes sure that your chainsaw doesn't get bound up in the tree. The wedges can also help to make sure that the tree falls in the direction in which you want it to go. The wedge also forces the tree over towards the felling cut that you made, which makes the tree fall in the right direction. 

If you aren't 100% confident that you can bring down the tree safely with no risk of personal injury or property damage, then you shouldn't do it on your own. Hire a tree removal company like Arborcare Tree Service to come out and get rid of the tree for you.