Trees add so much to a backyard. They’re beautiful to look at, they provide shade, privacy, food for wildlife, protection from the elements and a playground for kids. It’s easy to become very attached to a tree, especially a significant tree that you’ve had in your yard for many years. Making the decision to have a tree removed can be extremely tough, but it’s often necessary to ensure the safety of you and your family if a tree is dead or hazardous, and regular tree maintenance is no longer enough to mitigate the significant risk of it falling over.
So how do you know it’s time to have a tree removed? Here are the signs to look out for and what’s involved in tree removal.
Signs Your Tree May Be At Risk
Trees often show signs they’re unwell but unless you know what to look for it can be difficult to diagnose. Some tell-tale signs of a dead or sick tree are:
- Changes to the bark – peeling, chipped, missing pieces
- Large, dead branches in the tree’s crown
- Cracks or cavities in the trunk
- Hollow or rotten portions of the trunk
- Mushrooms, sprouts or fungus growing around the base of the tree’s trunk
- Signs of pest infestation
- Weak or compromised structural integrity
- The tree is suddenly leaning
- Changes to the leaves – discolouration, wilting, loss
If you spot any of these signs, contact your local Arborist as soon as possible to carry out a full inspection of your tree. The Arborist will quickly be able to determine whether the tree is dead, if it can be saved or if it simply poses too much of a risk and needs to be removed.
Other Reasons To Remove A Tree
You may also elect to have a tree removed for a number of other reasons such as:
- The tree is growing, or will soon be growing, too close to powerlines
- The tree is growing too close to your home or other structures
- The tree is dropping significant amounts of leaf litter you can no longer manage
- The tree is adversely affecting your enjoyment of your home
The reason for the removal will determine the urgency around having the job done.
Choosing The Right Arborist For The Job
Once you’ve made the difficult decision to remove your tree it’s a matter of deciding who will carry out the job. Unless it is a very small tree, you are highly experienced and you have all of the necessary tools and equipment it is not advisable to attempt to remove a tree yourself. In almost all cases, when it comes to removing trees, it’s best left to the professionals for the safety of you, your family and your home. Tree removals can be highly dangerous and require considerable expertise, along with the appropriate tools and equipment to be performed safely.
There is so much choice when it comes to Arborists, so be careful as some are much more qualified than others. Be sure to hire a reputable, certified Arborist who comes fully insured and backed with years of experience.
Your Arborist should provide you with a comprehensive, written quote and go over with you in detail what will be involved with removing your tree. The size and condition of your tree, accessibility of your site, presence of powerlines or other services nearby as well as any surrounding buildings, structures and gardens will all be taken into account and will determine the course of action for the Arborist. They may need to use a cherry picker to safely remove the tree or the Arborist may climb the tree using safety harnesses.
There will normally be a small team of people on site to carry out the removal. Generally, the tree will be systematically cut into manageable pieces by the Arborist using a high powered chainsaw and lowered to the ground where pieces will usually be fed into a woodchipper by a grounds person. Once this is completed, you will be left with the stump of the tree which you can choose to have ground out using a specialty piece of equipment called a stump grinder.
Trusted Tree Removal Service In Brisbane
Aussie Tree Solutions have been taking care of South-East Queensland trees for over 35 years. We have the expert knowledge, skill and experience to safely remove your tree and ensure your total peace of mind. Don’t trust your tree removal to just anyone. Call Aussie Tree Solutions any time, 24/7 and ask for a free quote on our professional tree removal service.