What Are the Dangers of DIY Tree Lopping?

Tree lopping is often done to keep the branches from interfering with overhead power lines. Some people choose to perform this activity themselves and open themselves up to several risks if tree lopping is not done well.

This article discusses some of those dangers. Use this information to make an informed decision on whether it is wise for you to undertake tree lopping on your property yourself, or it is better to hire a professional to do it.

Increased Tree Maintenance Costs

A poorly lopped tree can die, compelling you to incur the cost of removing that tree. The tree can die if many branches are removed, as the tree won't have enough leaves to manufacture food for itself. You may also incur higher maintenance costs for pruning since the tree may aggressively grow very many branches to compensate for the ones you cut off.

This aggressive growth spurt is a survival response since the tree needs leaves to trap sunlight and manufacture food to provide energy to the roots and other tree parts. As a result, you would keep spending money on tree maintenance just because you unknowingly lopped your trees in the wrong way.

Higher Liability Risks

DIY tree lopping increases your risk of being found criminally liable in case secondary branches that develop after lopping fall off and damage another person's property. For instance, the branch may fall on a passing car. This may be because that branch is weak since it sprouted on the stump of the one you cut off. You could potentially open yourself to costly liability lawsuits.

Reduced Property Value

Well-maintained trees make your property more attractive and therefore more valuable to buyers. On the flipside, poorly maintained or poorly lopped trees are an eyesore and can be a turnoff to potential buyers. This is because they see that they will have to spend money to remove the poorly-lopped trees. The perceived value of your property is likely to go down if you do a poor job of lopping the trees yourself.

Luckily, you can avoid these three dangers of poor tree lopping by contacting professionals like Treesafe Environmental Services. They will ensure that the tree is healthy and beautiful after the much-needed trim.

You should carefully weigh the risks you face in case you lop your trees yourself. The information above will be invaluable in helping you see the folly of DIY tree lopping, and the wisdom of hiring professionals to lop your trees.


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