Local tree service and timber experts offer advice to Naples, FL, homeowners about responsible chainsaw usage.
Advice From Professional Tree Care Experts
If there is one industry plagued by an onslaught of under-qualified DIYers, it is the tree care industry. Arborists and tree care specialists are constantly being called upon to bail out homeowners and landscapers who have gotten in over their heads. Despite constant warnings from experts, many people choose to take tree care into their own hands to varying results.
To avoid accidents and embarrassing calls for help, take some advice from these local tree care specialists. Here is some professional advice to help homeowners and landscapers operate chainsaws safely and more effectively.
Protect Yourself
Chainsaws are inherently dangerous tools. Like most tools, they can cause serious injury or damage when not handled correctly. The first step in operating a chainsaw is to determine if you have complete confidence in your abilities to handle a certain job.
If there is any step of the process that is uncomfortable or any contingency that you can’t bail yourself out of, there is no shame in calling in professionals. If you wish to proceed, the next step is to protect yourself.
Chainsaws require personal protective equipment, including:
- Gloves
- Eye protection
- Ear protection
- Sturdy shoes
For added safety, special chaps and helmets are recommended. Make sure all of this is in place before cutting anything.
Next, check your equipment. There is nothing more dangerous than a dull chain. Dull chains require more effort, leading to fatigue and sloppy technique while also increasing the likelihood of kickback. When purchasing chains, look for styles that tout reduced kickback and only use chainsaws with kickback brakes.
Once the cutting has started, remember a few simple rules:
- Always have an exit strategy
- Keep an eye overhead for falling debris
- Keep others far away
- Never operate a chainsaw from a ladder
Protect Your Equipment
Now that you are as safe as possible, it is time to think about making the first cut. Protecting the chainsaw is of first importance. When cutting limbs or cordwood on the ground, remember to cut from the bottom to reduce binding. Likewise, when making felling cuts, use wedges to counter the lean of some trees that want to bind the bar.
Keeping the blade sharp is important to efficiency and safety. Keep the chain out of the dirt as the saw is running. At the microscopic level, dirt is extremely abrasive and can dull a chainsaw blade in seconds. Prop fallen debris up so the bar and blade can pass cleanly through a cut without getting the blade into the soil below. Once the blade is dull, it should be resharpened or replaced if there are still a lot of cuts to be made.
Protect Your Surroundings
No one wants to end up on YouTube– or in court. If you feel you can’t protect the surrounding property during a tree trimming or removal project, don’t attempt it. Professionals have all of the equipment and insurance necessary to do the job safely. Don’t risk damaging your own property or your neighbor’s.
If the site is deemed safe for the DIYer to proceed, check that the landing zone is clear. Make sure no limbs are near power lines, and the falling tree will clear surrounding trees.
For tree felling, make two face cuts to remove a wedge of material. The vertices where the two cuts meet will make an angle that will force the tree to fall in that direction. Make sure the tree isn’t growing or weighted in the wrong direction, and use wedges to influence the direction of the falling tree. Slowly, make a back cut towards the face cuts until a small hinge is left to control the fall of the tree. Let the tree start to fall and move back quickly.
About Any Town Tree
Any Town Tree is the local expert for tree removal and tree trimming. They have the experience and tools necessary to make tree service fast and safe. Call today for tree service in Naples, FL.