Why Tall Trees In Confined Places Should Only Be Removed By Professionals
Removing a short tree in your backyard may not be an issue if you know how to operate a chainsaw or an axe. Removing a tall tree, especially if it's growing in a confined space, is a different issue altogether. Here are three reasons such trees are better removed by professionals:
The Risk of Falling Where It Isn't Wanted
The taller a tree is, the higher the risk that it can fall on other nearby properties and infrastructure. This is especially true if the tree is growing in a confined place. The tree may fall on your house, garage, car or on nearby power lines. If you can't remove the property or infrastructure that may be damaged, you need to rig the tree so that you can control its direction of fall. It might also be necessary to remove some of the branches to reduce the spread of the tree.
The Risk of Falling Unexpectedly
Tall trees tend to be more unstable than shorter ones. In fact, this is true for all tall objects because their center of mass is far above the ground. This increases the risk of your tall tree falling unexpectedly anytime during the removal. An unexpected fall is dangerous due to its high risk of injury. For example, the tree's main trunk can split halfway through the cut, injuring the person doing the cutting.
One way of dealing with this problem is to trim off some branches before cutting down the main trunk. For very tall trees in confined spaces, it might even be advisable to remove the main trunk in chunks rather than cutting it down in one piece. Another method involves rigging the tree so that you can control its time of fall. Finally, you need to use the notch cut to prevent the tree from falling before you are ready for it.
The Number of Required Felling Gear
As you may have gleaned from the discussion above, felling a tall tree in a confined space is a complex issue. This calls for not only a skilled approach but also the need for a number of equipment and tools. For example, you may need a ladder, spurs (climbing spikes), fall harness, ropes, chainsaw, and the usual protective gear (such as a hard hat and gloves) for tree removal. Few homeowners have all these gear in their homes, but professional tree companies have them.
Therefore, it's in your best interest to forgo DIY tree removal if you need to remove a fairly tall tree in a confined place. The consequences are not worth the money you will be saving by going the DIY route.
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