The ABCs of Safe Tree Removal

Your yard is full of plants and other elements that bring you joy. And probably at the top of the list (and touching the skyline) are your trees. Trees add a lot to your life - shade, oxygen, and a place to hang a hammock, to name a few things, and we often view them with some affection. But, unfortunately, they also seem very strong, so when they need removal, it is a shock. Tree removal, unfortunately, is a fact of landscaping in Riverhead and everywhere. Though you can make good decisions to improve your trees' health and extend their lives, trees, like everything else, eventually die. But when a tree goes, it can take out a lot with it! That's why you need to contact landscape pros when you have a dead tree or one that needs to cutting-down for other reasons. Why Remove a Tree? So if we love our trees so much, why would we remove them? Of course, removing a tree is rarely our first choice as homeowners, but there are some legitimate reasons for doing it. Expansion Sometimes we need to remove trees because we add an addition to our home or change the landscaping. In those situations, trees may be in the way of the progress we're trying to make. Sick or Dead Tree If you have a diseased tree, it may be necessary for the health of the other trees in your landscape to remove it as soon as possible. Some tree diseases are treatable, but not all are. If your tree has already died, there's no reason to leave it standing and good reasons to remove it. A dead tree will begin to decompose and eventually come down on its own, potentially endangering property. Danger to Property The main reason homeowners remove trees is potential property damage. Sometimes we have to remove a tree that has fallen and damaged a car or home. Ideally, you should schedule before this happens. Sick or dead trees can be dangerous to everything around them and a liability for homeowners. If you want to learn whether a tree is dangerous, you should get expert advice about whether to keep it. The Dangers of Tree Removal Cutting down a tree takes a lot of specialty skills and professional equipment. To put it mildly, we do not recommend removing a tree on your own because of all the things that can go wrong. Heights Depending on the size of your tree, you may be unable to take it down in one piece. Tree removal usually requires cutting off branches and removing the tree in sections. To effectively do this, the person cutting must climb the tree. Tree climbing seemed fun when we were kids, but falling from a high tree is not! So we use special safety equipment to keep us in place and understand what we can and can't do while suspended. Falling Branches and Trees While you're in the process of cutting down the tree, predicting the trajectory of the falling branches and trunk can take some skill. But, as well-trained professionals, we know how to cut down a tree piece by piece with support to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Utilities Even if you live in the middle of nowhere, utility lines likely surround you. Water, sewer, electricity, and more run underground to your home or overhead. And tree removal takes both aerial and underground work. When digging, hitting a utility line can be unpredictable. We begin by marking utility lines and then avoid them. Breaking a water main is expensive, and hitting an electric cable can be fatal! Above-ground cables may be more apparent, but avoiding them isn't as easy as you think, and many intelligent homeowners have gotten hurt or worse because they dropped their guard and hit a high-voltage line. Don't Let Them Stump You There's one more reason to call a reputable pro for your to cut down your trees. Even with smaller trees, one aspect of tree removal may elude you and some smaller companies: stump removal. Unfortunately, some folks have to leave the stump behind! Tree stumps sticking out of the ground are a great way to stub your toe or damage your lawnmower. Worse, a sharp one sticking out can injure you! So BK Landscaping takes out the whole tree, stump included. Tree Care and Removal The best way to avoid unwanted tree removal is to take good care of your trees. BK Landscaping offers tree service to keep your trees healthy and thriving, but when all else fails, we're available for a safe, thorough removal.