For most trees, cutting one down yourself isn’t safe. Anything larger than a small sapling, or any tree near a house, fence, road or power line, carries real risk of injury and property damage and should be handled by trained professionals.
Tree felling looks simple on video, but falling trees are heavy, fast and hard to control. Many serious injuries happen when a tree or limb doesn’t fall the way someone expected.
Why Tree Felling Is Riskier Than It Looks
Trees rarely stand perfectly straight or have evenly balanced branches. Lean, wind, heavy limbs on one side and hidden decay can all change the direction a tree falls.
As a tree starts to fall, the trunk can split upward, kick back off the stump or twist unexpectedly. Branches can snap off and fall from above. Chainsaws add their own dangers, especially for people who don’t use them often.
Situations That Should Always Go to a Professional
Some trees should never be tackled by a homeowner. These include trees near power lines, trees close to buildings or fences, and trees leaning over a house, road or driveway.
Dead, storm-damaged or split trees are also high-risk. They can be brittle or under tension and may break apart in unpredictable ways.
Large trees in general need planning, equipment and experience to bring down safely, often in sections rather than in one piece. If a tree is near an electrical line, stay clear and contact your utility first.
Hidden Costs of Doing It Yourself
DIY can seem cheaper, but mistakes can be expensive. A tree that lands on a roof, car, fence or neighbor’s property can cause more damage than the cost of hiring help.
There’s also the cleanup. A single tree can produce a large amount of wood and brush that needs to be cut up and hauled away. Renting equipment and disposing of debris add to the cost and time.
Homeowners insurance may treat damage from DIY tree work differently from damage caused by storms. If you’re considering it, check your policy first.
Time is a factor too. A job a trained crew can finish in a few hours may take a homeowner several weekends, with the tree partly cut and unsafe in the meantime.
When Professional Help Makes Sense
A tree cutting service in Joplin can assess the tree, plan how it will come down and handle the work and cleanup. If the goal is to take the tree down completely, the job may fall under tree removal, which can also include stump work.
If you’re thinking about cutting down a tree on your Missouri property, have it looked at by a local tree service first so you know what the job involves before anyone picks up a saw.
Leave a Reply