When trees on your property need trimming, pruning, or removal, it can be tempting to try tackling the work yourself to save money. However, attempting dangerous tree surgery work without professional training, equipment and experience can be disastrous. Here, a seasoned tree surgeon share insights on why tree care is best left to the experts.
Pruning Looks Deceptively Simple
“People see tree pruning on TV and think it just involves some clipping. In reality, proper pruning is a science that considers tree biology, limb structure, growth patterns, and balance. Imprecise pruning permanently damages trees and opens them up to disease. We have specialized tools and techniques the average homeowner lacks.”
Knowing Where and How Much to Cut
“Understanding branch collar anatomy and making precise cuts without injuring the trunk takes hundreds of hours of practice. A fraction of an inch can make the difference between pruning for health versus irreparably harming the tree. Well-intended homeowners often over-prune trees dramatically, severely stressing them.”
Preventing Disease Spread
“If tools aren’t properly sanitized between trees, diseases easily spread. I see many trees contracting bacterial infections and fungus like verticillium wilt due to infected pruning tools. We follow strict disinfection routines homeowners wouldn’t think to do. Preventing infectious outbreaks takes diligence.”
Assessing Safety Hazards
“Identifying structural defects and limb risks before climbing requires diagnostic expertise. We methodically check for signs of rot, weakness and instability that could cause branches to break under weight. Regular homeowners miss indicators that can forecast exactly how and when a branch will fail.”
Equipment Skill and Training
“Climbing trees safely with harness rigging, operating cranes and aerial lifts, and handling chainsaws, requires intensive skill-building. Improper use of tree equipment is extremely dangerous. An uncertified individual felling large trees or grinding stumps can easily get seriously injured or killed.”
Insurance Protection
“If a DIY tree job causes property damage or injury, the homeowner is financially liable. We carry millions in insurance coverage for any damages or accidents that may occur. Specialized tree work simply poses too many hazards for non-professionals to assume the risks.”
Emergency Response Capabilities
“After big storms, we have the equipment and manpower to handle large-scale removals and clearing fallen trees. Homeowners can’t safely manage massive tree damage themselves. They also may need immediate road clearing or electrical line protection only professional crews can provide.”
Each day, unsafe DIY tree work leads to preventable deaths and disfigurements nationwide. Don’t become a statistic! No amount of online research can substitute for our field training and credentials. tree care requires specialist expertise. Leave it to certified arborists for your protection and your trees’ wellbeing.