Are you looking to bring down a tree? You can cut it by yourself or hire tree cutting services providers. For you to effectively bring down a tree, you need to consider a number of tips that include:

Have a reason why you are bringing down the tree

Why do you want to cut the tree? You can it because of many reasons. the most common ones being:

• The tree is leaning in one direction or another
• The tree has dead or broken branches
• The tree is sick
• The tree is too old
• The tree is too large and a threat to you and your family

You should note that it doesn’t mean that you should always have to bring down the tree if it has all of these signs. Before you pull the trigger, ask a professional to help you with the inspection and its only after the expert has confirmed that you should bring it down, that you should go ahead and do it.

Keep safety first

Many things can go wrong when you are cutting down the tree. For you to have peace of mind when bringing down the tree, keep your safety as your priority. Before you do anything, ask yourself whether you are ready to face the project safely.

Ensure that by felling the tree you won’t cause any harm to yourself or other people around you. The tree also shouldn’t cause harm to nearby trees and structures.

One of the ways of protecting yourself is having the necessary protective tools and supplies. The equipment you should have include:

• Gloves
• Eye protection
• Hard hat
• Hearing protection
• Wedges
• First aid kit
• Plum line
• Saw gas and bar oil
• Single blade ax
• Chain
• Chainsaw

Many people go for any chainsaw that they come across, but this shouldn’t be the case. As rule of thumb, ensure that the chainsaw you are using is working properly and in good condition.

Ensure that the chain brake is working, the saw dogs are properly attached to the saw housing, and the bar is long enough. For ideal results, ensure that the bar is as long as the diameter of the tree you are cutting.

Ensure that the chain is properly sharpened. If the chainsaw is dull, damaged, or isn’t cutting straight, it won’t give you the results you are looking for.

Have a plan

Simply because you have the necessary safety tools doesn’t mean that you should jump ahead and start cutting the tree. You need to have a plan of how you are going to bring down the tree.

You need to know how you are going to cut the tree so that it falls in a certain direction. This calls for you to ensure that the tree is angled 30-45 degrees to either side of the skid trail.

You should keep an eye out for widow makers. These are tree fragments that can fall on people or property causing serious injury, damage or even death.

Pay attention to the weather. Are there strong winds? Avoid cutting down the tree. Also, avoid cutting the tree if there is fog or smog. Steep or uneven slope can also quickly turn tree cutting into a dangerous situation; therefore, you should avoid cutting it in such a situation.

Follow the right tree cutting steps

You should follow the right steps for you to effectively bring down the tree. The steps to follow include:

Sound it out: Here you should knock against the tree with an ax. If it sounds hollow, it’s most likely dead or dying. If it sounds solid, it’s live wood and it will be difficult to cut. You should knock it at different points and heights. If you are lucky, you will spot an area that will make it easy for you to cut down the tree.

Make the necessary cuts: The cuts that you can make are: horizontal, wedge, or back. The cut that you make determines the direction the tree will fall. If you have never cut the tree before, you should research about it.

For you to be safe, ask tree removal companies Chevy Chase to help you out. Remember, things can go wrong; therefore, it’s always wise to have an escape route. Always keep the route clear.