You might think that tree work should wait for spring since this season symbolizes new beginnings, and it is the time of year when many homeowners will start projects to spruce up their properties. However, winter is actually the safest time to take down a hazardous tree.
When the ground is hardened from the cold, this provides protection for your lawn and landscaping. Heavy equipment can roll across your grass without leaving deep, muddy ruts that would be expensive to repair in April. If you have a dead or leaning tree, getting rid of it now prevents a sudden collapse during a winter windstorm. Here are some things that arborists will do to protect your property during tree removal in winter.
Taking Advantage of the Cold, Hard Ground
The hard winter soil provides a stable platform for the heavy machinery required to cut and haul away large pieces of wood. In the summer, the ground is soft and full of moisture. So, a large truck or a woodchipper would sink right into the turf. With winter’s dormant grass and hard dirt significantly reduce the impact on the root systems for surrounding healthy trees.
Keep Your Structures Safe From Falling Limbs
Winter rains and winds add incredible stress to branches that might already be weak from disease or age. This extra load often causes brittle winter wood to snap without warning. An arborist will remove trees that are hollow or have large cracks. Removing these trees before the next major winter storm hits ensures that you control where the wood lands. A professional crew can use ropes and pulleys to lower sections of a tree away from your gutters and windows. This is much safer than waiting for a gust of wind to do the job for you.
Identifying Hazards Without the Leaves
Winter offers a clear view of the “bones” of a tree. The leaves are no longer blocking the view. An arborist can easily spot dead wood, fungal growth, or structural defects that were hidden behind all those leaves during summer. Because they can see exactly where the weight of the tree is leaning, an expert can more easily plan a much safer removal path.
Reducing the Risk of Pest and Disease Spread
Many tree diseases and wood-boring insects are inactive during the winter. This makes it the perfect time to remove an infected tree. A trained arborist knows that if you cut down a tree suffering from Dutch Elm disease or Oak Wilt in the summer, the fresh sap can attract beetles that carry the infection to every other healthy tree on your block. Because these pests are sleeping during the winter, this means that the tree can be removed and hauled away without consequence.
If you have trees on your property that look hazardous, call a professional arborist to remove them. Call West Coast Tree Care, Inc. for tree removal in San Carlos, CA.
