Tree lopping is unlike most home improvement projects in that it is inherently extremely dangerous. A well-to-do DIY homeowner may believe they can safely take on their own tree care, but between the use of dangerous tools, felling heavy branches at height, and a myriad of other high-risk scenarios, including the possibility of damaging or even killing your trees, tree lopping is best left to a professional tree lopping service.

Danger? What Danger?

Proper tree lopping work requires a whole host of special tree maintenance and removal tools. Chainsaws, axes, wood chippers, stump grinders and other necessary power tools and equipment can create an unsafe environment even in the hands of an experienced professional. One misstep or distraction can lead to severe injuries or even death when using most of the tools required for tree removal and tree maintenance.

It stands to reason that if a trained professional is still highly at risk while using the tools of their trade, a do-it-yourself homeowner with little to no experience and training is placing themselves even more at risk. Proper training and experience with the tools of the trade along with a thorough tool care/maintenance program, and personal protective equipment all work together to minimize the dangers associated with working alongside tree lopping tools and equipment.

Most individuals do not have the extreme level of professionalism required for this safe operation and are, therefore, better off leaving tree lopping to the professionals due to the tools and equipment required alone.  Nonetheless, there are still many other reasons to leave your tree lopping needs to the professionals.

Beyond the risk associated with the tools of the tree lopping trade, another major concern when considering tree lopping work is the tree itself. Rarely in DIY home repair and maintenance does the object receiving repair and maintenance pose a danger. In the case of tree looping, however, whether it be residential or commercial, the tree, it’s limbs and branches, or even insect infestation can pose a significant danger to those working to lop it.

For example, it takes a significant amount of experience and expertise in order to properly and safely trim elevated heavy branches in a safe manner. Branches are often too high to reach safely from the ground and an unknowing homeowner may attempt to lop them while physically in the tree, greatly increasing the risk for injury or death. Professional tree lopping services have access to bucket trucks and even specialised tree climbing equipment that allow them to more safely remove awkwardly perched heavy limbs at height.

When felling trees completely, the direction of the tree’s fall can be unpredictable and is often difficult for even a professional to ascertain. A tree that falls improperly can damage surrounding property or become entangled in nearby power lines, etc. posing a significant threat to bystanders and the individual felling the tree. Professionals have the experience and capability to take down a precariously perched tree in smaller sections or use the right cuts and cabling to ensure that a tree falls in a preferred direction, causing no damage to surrounding property or themselves.

Once a tree is down, the convenience offered by most tree lopping services to remove the limbs, trunk, and grind the stump is often invaluable in and of itself.

Knowledge and Experience

Using a professional tree lopping service for tree maintenance and pruning also has advantages due to the overwhelming knowledge base required to properly maintain countless species of trees. Many professional tree lopping services are run by professional arborists who have extensive knowledge of any one particular tree’s predispositions to insects, diseases, and specific pruning needs.

Different tree species have varying preferences for when and how the species is best served in pruning and maintenance. An unsuspecting do-it-yourself homeowner may inadvertently prune too many branches or prune them in the wrong manner or location altogether. Doing this causes more harm than good, as poor pruning practice can open a tree up to disease and infestation. Poor pruning practice can also cause the tree to become unstable due to the resulting poor structure left behind, which can lead to the tree more easily uprooting and toppling, or simply becoming unsightly.

Professional tree lopping services and their in-house arborists also have the knowledge to assist in determining whether a particular tree can be saved if thought to be over-run with insect infestation or disease. Established, large trees can offer many benefits to their owners including shading of a home (which can reduce energy usage and costs), wind breaking, and even just pleasing scenery.

Obviously, an established tree does not sprout up overnight, so keeping those trees that have already stood the test of time is of high importance to many owners. Even established trees, however, are susceptible to disease and insect infestation. Maybe the previous owner took it upon themselves to try and self-perform their own tree lopping? The good news is if caught early enough, a highly trained and experienced tree lopping service can assist in salvaging a tree before it gets too far gone and to a point requiring complete removal.

Tree lopping and maintenance is truly best left to the professional. Hiring a professional is not only the safest and wisest option, it also offers more convenience and is faster than attempting to handle tree care on your own. Trying to work arduous and dangerous tree care into your already busy schedule is surely not the most exciting thought.

A professional can perform the work with very little impact to your schedule and provide for your tree care needs without putting you or your property in danger. Save your back, maybe your life, and your trees by hiring a tree lopping professional – it really is the only safe option.