What is the best way to remove stubborn stumps? Well, how many ways are there to remove large stumps? Dynamite, chain and a big truck, or even hacking away at the ground with an axe or shovel? If you’re trying to be safe, at least digging is still an option. Even then, digging with conventional yard tools to remove a stump can be surprisingly frustrating and time consuming. Not to mention that stumps and tree roots are the leading cause of broken landscape tools and equipment. If you’ve ever spent a weekend outside picking at the ground around a stump with a shovel or pick-axe, then you may know that there really is no better way to remove a stump than simply calling in the pros.

One of the many services offered by your local tree care company is Stump Grinding. The tree stump grinding process involves the removal of the entire stump core which can vary in size and depth depending on the age of the tree and obstacles (if any) in the surrounding area. The next thing they look for are any horizontal roots that are sitting above ground level and grind them too. Once they can no longer see any tree roots above ground, they fill in the hole(s) with the soil-mixed debris that comes from the grinding process. Then they rake and sweep the area as required to ensure it is aesthetically pleasing and the customer is satisfied.

The average time to grind a stump is around 1 or 2 hours and costs around $95 + GST (depending on the size of the stump). Prices may vary depending on factors such as size, depth, accessibility etc. If you require the services of a professional stump grinding you can save money by doing the following:

· Mark any underground utilities, wires etc. that are buried near the stump. Alberta 1 Call can help.

· Clear away any rocks, landscaping materials, lawn ornaments, or concrete materials located around the stump.

· For stumps that are fenced-in, ensure that at least a 32 inch gate/gap is in the fence to allow the passage of equipment and personnel.

Whether you have had trees cut down as part of a landscaping project, because of storm damage or due to a disease, removing the leftover stump is not an easy task. Often, the tree service that cut down your tree does not offer stump removal. Make sure that during your contract negotiations that you ask if their service includes the stump removal to avoid any misunderstandings. It is possible to rent a stump grinder from an equipment rental company and take care of the stump yourself. But if you are not experienced with this type of job, it is not a good idea. The equipment can be very dangerous if not used properly. This is a job that you should take off your to-do list and hand over to an expert.

What Should I Look For When I Am Hiring a Stump Removal Service?

There are several things that you should consider when hiring a stump removal company. First, look at the reputation of the company. Ask around to see if others have been happy with their work. Your landscaper should be able to suggest a professional tree removal service.

Second, make sure that they are insured. Many fly-by-night inexperienced tree removal companies are not covered by insurance and you could be stuck holding the bill if there is any damage to your property.

Third, deal only with professionals. If you deal with a professional company you will get better results. Keep in mind, if your estimate sounds like a deal that’s too good to be true, it usually is.

How Are the Stumps Removed?

Stumps are removed by using specialized equipment. The stump removal equipment systematically reduces the stump to wood chips. The stump grinder reaches between four inches to a foot below ground. The resulting wood chips are often used to fill in the hole left from the stump being removed and the excess can be used as mulch. Depending on the age, size and the development of the root system, there may be more work involved to remove the roots.

Stumps can be unsightly and can make an otherwise well-maintained yard look unkempt. They can also be difficult to mow around and create a hazard. Take the time to ask the appropriate questions when you receive your estimate to make sure that your needs will be met and that you understand what services are covered. To achieve the best results, hire a professional stump removal and tree service that is insured and well-recommended.

Why You Should Use Stump Grinding Services For That Obstructive Tree Stump

While trees may give additional aesthetics to your home and even provides that cooling effect allowing you to reduce your energy bills on those air conditioning units, there are times when the authorities will have to ask you to chop it down because such tree is deemed unsafe on the street or perhaps interfering with power lines. So, whether you like it or not, you’ll have to make that difficult decision of removing such beautiful tree. And what is left after? A tree stump.

Tree stumps are usually unattractive on anybody’s lawn. They are even causes of trip hazards most especially when there are kids playing around. They can also attract white ants and this could mean risking the safety of your home. Aside from that, they are also obstructive to driveways or construction as well as to landscaping. It is for all these reasons that you should think about getting rid of any tree stump in your yard. The next problem is how you are just going to get rid of it. Deciding to do it by yourself does not only take so much of your time as it might take you a day or two and money as you would certainly need a slew of tools like chainsaw, hoe, and ax. It also takes so much of effort hacking and picking and digging not to mention staying under the harmful heat of the sun. And most often than not, nobody has ever been very successful about do-it-yourself stump removal since the roots of most trees are buried so deep that you might just end up ruining your yard.

What’s the best way to do then?

There are actually stump grinding services these days that provide professional stump removal. To deal with such an obstructive tree stump in only a matter of minutes and save you lots of cash on having to buy those tools, professional stump removers will use equipment that are not just modern but also perfect for safely removing any kind of hardwood stump on your lawn. Aside from having the right skills to get the job done, they also include in their services the task of cleaning up so you don’t really have to worry about all those debris being scattered all around.

With the help of professional stump removal, your yard is guaranteed to remain intact which means your yard is free from the danger of being torn up or perhaps riddled with lots of holes. They also have certified arborists on staff to help keep your home safe by making sure that your yard is free from any possible termite attacks and other threats.

Characteristics You Need To Know To Find A Reliable Stump Grinding Expert

A huge grown tree is an attractive aesthetic in one’s home. Home owners and their loved ones will have a good shade on sunny days and a strong protection against strong gusts of wind. The lush green leaves of a tree also create a wonderful environment in a back yard, giving kids a good place to play on. It also helps the environment to get rid of air contaminants making the air cleaner for individuals to breathe in. No doubt, a tree can provide numerous features for home owners and other individuals, this is why most home owners plant and grow trees to obtain these amazing benefits in their own homes.

Even with the splendid features of a strong tall tree, some home owners may have some difficulties in developing better aesthetics because of it. For instance, when building a home, owners wish to locate the ideal setting for their houses. So, there are times that the best location is beside or on the tree, leaving them no choice but to cut it down. However, after cutting the tree, there is still a problem – its stump. In order to get rid of this stump, home owners must hire the most reliable stump grinding expert available.

To locate the most reliable experts, here is a list of characteristics you need to find.

· Fully insured – make sure that experts offer fully insured services. This is essential to have the assurance that their work and everything they do is safe for you and your family.

· Friendly – with friendly employees and eco-friendly services, homeowners are rest assured that their needs are catered to properly in order to provide better features and benefits from their services.

· Reliable – a stump grinding expert can provide reliable solutions for home owners. From stump grinding, tree removal up to tree pruning, these experts can handle all these services for you.

· Low-cost services – some service providers charge additional fee for other services but with the help of reliable stump grinding experts, they can provide you better and cheaper fees. Moreover, these experts also offer same day service charges for you to select the best day to remove trees or stumps.

By knowing these characteristics, owners can find the best service provider that can help them improve their house aesthetics. Homeowners are also rest assured that incidents due to stumps can be eliminated and owners can improve their landscaping activities.

What to Look For When Choosing a Tree Removal Company

If you need to remove a tree from your yard for any reason, whether it is unhealthy and likely to fall or simply blocking your view, it is always recommended that you hire a professional for this task. Attempting to remove a tree on your own is very dangerous, and can easily lead to personal injury, electrical shock, or property damage. When choosing a tree removal company, it is important to choose an experienced, reputable company. Do not trust your property with a company that cuts costs by cutting corners. Know what to look for in a tree service professional to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money.

· Fully Licensed and Insured. If you hire a company that is not insured, you are asking for a lawsuit. If anything goes wrong or a worker is injured while working on your property, you can be held liable. Although an insured company may charge a little more to cover the insurance, you will not have to worry about hefty legal fees in the case of an accident.

· Training and Equipment. It takes more than a truck and a chainsaw to properly remove a tree. The best tree removal professionals are fully trained and equipped for any job, whether they are simply trimming a few branches or brining in a crane to remove a large tree.

· Stump Grinding. If a company does not have the proper equipment to remove and grind the tree’s stump, you could be left with unsightly stumps dotting your yard. When you are speaking to tree removal companies, ask them if they will grind the stumps when they are finished removing the tree. Many companies will provide this service at no additional charge.

· Good Reputation. When you are considering different companies, it helps to hear what others have to say. Look online at various customer review sites to see what previous customers have said about their experiences with the tree removal companies in your area. It is normal to have one or two negative reviews, but if you are consistently seeing more horror stories than praise, it is time to move on. Look for a company that is praised by past customers for professionalism, service, and excellent results.

A diseased or dying tree is a safety hazard, and you should not delay in having one removed from your yard. However, do not rush into a decision by hiring the cheapest tree removal company you can find. Always do business with companies that are fully licensed and insured and known for their professionalism and quality work. Taking the time to choose the right company will provide a much better experience in the long run.

Why Hire a Tree Company Instead of Doing It Myself

Tree Services include tree removal, stump grinding, pruning, plant health care, root management, storm damage cleanup, emergency service, preservation and evaluations, and more. Some of these jobs can be done by a home owner, but others are best left to trained professionals who can do the job safely. An accident cutting down a tree can cost many times what a tree service professional would charge, let alone your life.

A homeowner can prune trees when they are small. Under 12′ tall is a good example size for a home owner to pursue pruning. Pruning will help develop a good branch structure, with the proper development of limbs and shoots. Dead, broken, and split branches should be removed from the tree. Branches can be thinned as necessary. When pruning a tree, pruning cuts should never exceed more than 25% of the live canopy of the tree.

There are 4 types of tree pruning;

· Crown cleaning includes pruning dead or diseased limbs from a tree canopy.

· Crown raising includes elevating the low hanging branches on a tree, sometimes done for lawn mowers or views.

· Crown reduction includes reducing the height selectively of a overall canopy. An

· Crown thinning which includes lightly thinning some of the live interior branches of the canopy. Topping or cutting back the canopy is never recommended.

As much as the homeowner may wish to save their trees, removal may be necessary at some point. Dead, dying, and hazardous trees will have to be removed. There are many ways a tree can die, most often the reason is urban forestry such as compacted soil, nutrient deficiencies, or extreme environmental changes such as droughts. Sometimes trees get too big for their area, especially if they were planted to close to a house. Improper planting is a common issue among our landscape.

Tree removal can be very dangerous. This is particularly true if a large tree is close to a house, a high tension power line, or a street. Even when a relatively smaller tree can be cut down, it is still dangerous for the homeowner. There are many things that can go wrong. Such as, making an improper notch and improper fell cuts, not estimating the weight or lean of a tree correctly, and improper chainsaw use. There are many factors of tree work that require safety precautions, training, and actions by the professionals who do tree removals each day. The safe use of a chain saw requires safety training, and workers are required by ANSI standards to wear all of their PPE – personal protective equipment. This includes chaps, proper eye-wear, hearing protection, safety gloves, and hard hat. Professional companies that are accredited by the Tree Care Industry Association are required to have safety meetings each week. Companies that take safety seriously have a safety policy and disciplinary program, a company safety manual, and safety training program.

Professional tree service workers have the proper training, experience, and the equipment to complete removals safely. Their personnel can climb a tree and cut it down piece by piece using proper ropes and equipment taking special care when a tree being removed is too big and too close to house and power lines. The workers have the climbing equipment, the safety lines, and the training to do the job properly. Cranes or bucket trucks are sometimes necessary to remove trees in tricky places, especially when power lines are involved. Tree companies that are not certified to work within close proximity to high tension power lines must abide by OSHA standard and keep over 15′ away from the lines. Unfortunately, there are far to many injuries, and deaths for both extremes – tree professionals and the neighbor kid cutting down trees.

Once a tree is cut down, there is still the stump. It can take many years for a stump to rot. After it rots, there is a hole left where the stump was. A stump can be removed with a stump grinder. The lawn can be restored immediately without waiting for an unsightly stump to decay. Stump grinders can be rented, but the work of stump removal is difficult, noisy, and dangerous. Using a professional, fully insured, licensed, certified, and accredited tree service company is the intelligent way to go.