Getting rid of trees in your yard is an important step if they are threatening to fall or feel hazardous to you in any way. Hiring a tree removal contractor can help ensure that your property is safe. Many professionals will opt to bring a crane to the job that can assist with this removal process.

Learning about what cranes do and why they're so useful for tree removal can make this process easier to understand. Just as importantly, it can give you the insight you need to invest in getting rid of potentially hazardous or unsightly trees and making your yard more attractive.

What Is Tree Removal?

According to Brandon Gaille, 90% of homeowners find yard maintenance important, with two out of three saying that they would hire a professional to help manage the plants in their yard. These include trees, shrubs, wooded plants, and more. If you don't know much about tree removal or why these individuals find it so important, it's critical to examine this procedure in depth.

Tree removal starts by inspecting the trees, shrubs, and other vegetation growing in your yard and deciding whether they're safe to keep or if it would be best to clear them away. For example, specialists may examine a tree for termite and woodpecker damage, track any disease symptoms that may threaten its health, detect any dying or dead limbs, and gauge if a tree poses any sort of danger. Then, they can then come up with a plan to help you.

These plans may include trimming any damaged areas, treating diseases, or simply removing the tree. Removal specialists try to do what they can to save the tree as often as possible. However, there are some instances where a tree simply cannot be saved. As a result, they may have to extract it from your yard to ensure that you and your family don't experience any safety issues.

Tree removal typically includes a broad range of tools that help facilitate this experience, including cranes that help make this procedure safer and more effective. These cranes are different from the types used in construction and are operated using different methods. Understanding how they work can give you a better grasp on this sort of job and what to expect when a tree removal team comes to your home.

What Are Tree Cranes?

Tree cranes are specialized pieces of equipment that your tree removal contractor will use to get trees out of your yard. They are mounted on large trucks, which gives them more portability than other stationary equipment. Their long and extendable arms makes it easier for tree removal experts to grab at hard-to-reach areas of a tree and control them during the sometimes lengthy removal process.

Cranes can also help removal workers get closer to these areas, providing a safe platform on which they can work. For example, the arm might haul a large platform on which multiple trimmers and cutters can work on a tree's crown. In this way, they can trim away any damaged areas and remove excess branches. The crane can then haul these parts down safely and effectively.

Furthermore, a tree crane can also help with removing large sections of these trees, including removing cut sections near the top that would be too heavy for even a multi-person crew to manage. Even better, these cranes can include various tools that make cutting and removal easier. These tools include things like saws and even arms that can grab tree sections and haul them away.

These are just a few of the advantages that a tree crane can add to the removal process. They can also help tree removal contractors diagnose pest damage, remove damaging bird nests, trim away dangerous branches from above your home, and keep your yard's trees under better control.

Now that you understand the benefits they provide, it is critical to know exactly what steps happen over the course of a tree removal job. In the next section, we'll highlight how tree removal experts use cranes, including the overall operation process, and highlight why they're such an important addition to a contractor's arsenal.

Which Tree Removal Steps Can Benefit From Cranes?

Tree removal with a crane starts by deciding which approach will be the best fit for the needs of the job. Typically, tree removal specialists examine the tree's branches, trunk, and bark and look for signs of damage. If they can do anything to save the tree, such as provide it with various medications and complete other tasks to keep it strong and ensure that it stays standing for many years, they will do so at this point.

Then, the experts will use the crane to remove any branches that may be dead or dying. Typically, this involves lifting a specialist up along the full height of the tree trunk using the crane. They'll examine the branches, test them for strength, and decide which have to go. Often, they'll choose branches that put your home at risk, such as any that may be hanging over your home and which look likely to fall.

Otherwise, if the tree cannot be saved, they'll remove it using the crane. This starts by cutting off the highest sections of the tree first, including the crown. Cutting away branches at the top helps to ensure that they don't fall randomly and hit your house, car, or even other people. Once the crown is ready to be removed, they'll cut it off and take it down from the top of the tree.

Depending on the tree's height, the removal experts may make multiple cuts and divide the tree into several sections. They typically remove sections that are big enough to put on the crane, and this equipment can handle them easily. Doing tree removal in this way takes more time than cutting it at the base, but it poses far fewer risks. It's especially critical in more populated areas where limited space means a falling tree could endanger many people.

During this process, the crane operator stays in constant communication with anyone on top of the platform to ensure safety. This includes radio communication about where to put the crane, what kind of branches or parts are coming down the crane, and other important information. These details help the operator know what they need to do, such as moving the platform away from the tree or maneuvering it to a different section.

As sections of the tree are removed, the rest of the team will focus on gathering up the debris and placing it in the truck to haul it away. They may even cut it down further with saws to make it more portable and easier to haul. Eventually, the removal team will get to the base of the tree, where the crane will no longer be needed. Instead, the ground-based workers can use stump-removal processes to get the rest of the tree out of your yard for good.

Working with a tree removal contractor and their cranes is essential if you're worried about the dangers of trees in your yard. Proper maintenance may help trees live for many years, but problems like pests, heavy winds, lightning strikes, and even excessively tall trees can make cranes essential. If you're concerned about a tree on your property, make sure that you contact a contractor right away. They can inspect your tree and offer advice on the best way to proceed. Call our team at Eduardo's Tree Service to get started today.