Cutting a tree down may like a simple job. But, it actually can be deadly. Unfortunately, many people are killed each year in tree-related accidents. Removing a tree properly is very important to avoid injury to people and damage to property. Take for example an 80-foot hardwood tree that is 24 inches in diameter and weighs more than 20,000 pounds. Tree removal can become a life or death situation if not done correctly. There are several steps to complete the job successfully.
Preparation for Removal
A person should take several preliminary steps prior to the day of the actual removal. First, a thorough survey of the surroundings should be conducted. The homeowner should answer such questions as the following: How close is the nearest building to the tree? Will any overhead utility lines be at risk if the tree falls? Will the terrain around the tree require any special preparation to insure a safe working area?
Second, pertinent local government offices should be contacted to obtain any necessary permits for the tree’s removal. In some communities a permit is required by the local municipality to remove a tree of a certain size. For example, in Toronto a permit costs 104.96 and is required to remove a tree of 30 cm in diameter or greater on private property. In other areas there are no local permits needed.
Finally, adequate equipment and manpower should be scheduled for the day of removal. Ladders, ropes, chain saws, pole saws, winches, and climbing gear are the minimal equipment necessary for safe tree removal. In addition, it would be a great advantage if a mobile hydraulic construction lift bucket is available. Many equipment rental companies have such equipment available. As for manpower, depending on the size of the tree a person should have from 3-6 workers present.
The Final Cut
When all the preliminary steps have been successfully completed and the day arrives for the actual removal, it is important to follow thoroughly steps for a safe and successful completion of the task. Below are a few of the main steps in this process.
First, estimate the felling zone, allowing for plenty of room for the tree to fall. There are four factors that will indicate where a tree will fall. The factors are: lean, balance, wind, and rot. Lean may be determined by comparing the trunk to an axe suspended from an outstretched arm, which acts as in informal plumb line. Balance may be indicated by the large number of branches on one side or the other. The way the top of the tree nods as wind blows will indicate the breeze’s force. Rot can be detected by soft or weak wood in the trunk or dead or diseased limbs higher up.
Second, attach a guide rope to the tree to help then it fall correctly when sawn. This rope should be placed as high up the trunk as possible, and it should be long enough that the person pulling on it will be out of the felling zone. If there is some doubt about the safe area, the rope can be draped around a tree in front of the one to be felled and the person pulling can do so at a 90 degree angle so as to be out of danger.
Third, notch the tree in the side where you want the tree to fall. This is done by making first a horizontal cut called an undercut, about waist high on the tree, and then completing the notch by sawing a slanting cut down to the meet the first cut about one third of the diameter of the tree.
Fourth, make the final cut. This will be on the back side of the tree, opposite of the notch. Make a horizontal cut about two inches above the level of the undercut. As you make this final cut, watch the notched area of the tree and do not cut completely to it. Also pay attention to the space the saw blade cuts out between the top and bottom of the cut which is called the kerf. As you cut further into the tree on the last cut, you will begin to see the kerf grow larger, which indicates the tree is leaning and preparing to fall.
As can be seen by this brief overview, the safe removal of a tree is a very involved process, and safety experts often recommend that homeowners rely on local professional tree experts, such as Dave Lund Tree Removal in Bradford, so that the job will be done safely and successfully.