Your beloved tree may be dying. Or it has lots of naked branches or visible signs of fungus or blight. When it’s time to remove a tree, you need to know what to expect.

Pre-Removal Rigmarole

Before a professional tree service makes the first cut, they’ll examine the tree. From there, you’ll get an estimate showing what they’ll do and how much it’ll cost you.

You won’t have to worry about obtaining permits, informing utilities or following regulations, as a professional arborist will do all of that for you. Even so, it’s a simple courtesy to let your neighbors know what you’re planning. Tree removal is pretty noisy, and your neighbors should know about any potential hazards.

From the Top Down

For taller trees, a professional crew will bring chainsaws for cutting, a bucket truck for reaching high limbs, and plenty of safety and PPE gear. If there are any possible obstructions or objects that are at risk from falling limbs, remove them before the experts arrive.

The crew will start cutting from the topmost limbs on the crown to minimize potential damage below. If the limbs are particularly big, they’ll use a crane to lower them to the ground. They’ll continue doing this until only the trunk remains. Then they’ll cut the trunk with a chainsaw and push it by hand or with a skid-steer loader in the direction they want it to go.

Finally, they’ll grind the stump down and remove the remaining debris. This process can take one to three days. If you wish, you can keep the ground-up stump as mulch.

Making the Cut

Smaller trees require far less fuss but the same safety precautions. The arborists will look at the surrounding area, decide the falling direction and plan two escape routes in case the job goes wrong. After that, they’ll proceed with the notch cut.

A notch cut is a V-shaped cut made close to the tree’s base, and it’s made in the direction the tree should fall. Next comes the back cut on the opposite side. They won’t cut all the way through, just far enough for the notch to serve as a hinge. The tree then falls with the obligatory yell of “Timber!”

The job isn’t finished, however. Now, they get to work removing the limbs and cutting the main trunk of the tree into smaller sections. These smaller are often recycled as firewood, and you can ask if your tree service does this.

Whether your tree is big or small, if it’s dying or diseased, it’s hazardous to keep it standing. Large trees will require lots of equipment, and small trees require meticulous planning. Either way, a professional removal is the best way to go. When you need tree removal services in Vallejo, CA, contact E Z Tree.