Once spring rolls around, you might be ready to get outside, grab a ladder, and take a chainsaw to those overgrown trees. After all, how hard could a little tree trimming be? Unfortunately, most homeowners underestimate how difficult pruning really is—until they find themselves on the way to the hospital. Here are two dangers of tree trimming, and why you should hire a professional instead:

1: Sharp Objects

Those trees might seem delicate and wispy from afar, but upon closer inspection, you might discover gnarly branches and thick limbs. To quickly clear away unruly growths, you might grab your sharpest saw, pruning shears, or even that chainsaw. Unfortunately, pruning tree limbs generally requires homeowners to use sharp objects in difficult situations.

In addition to working your shears, you might also find yourself holding the limb to keep it from falling to the ground. Because you might need more than one tool for the job, you might also find yourself stashing extra equipment on your ladder. Unfortunately, both of these techniques can lead to dangerous lacerations. If you miss and cut your hand instead of that branch you were holding, you might end up with a deep cut.

Fortunately, professional tree trimmers have specialized equipment to help them to do the job safely. In addition to lifts to help them to easily navigate tall tree canopies, professionals also have equipment fitted with safety guards to keep their shears safe, even when they aren't in use.

2: Falling Branches

You might have some idea of which branches need to come down and how to saw them free, but where will that limb end up after it falls? As branches are sawed away, they can drop and fall onto cars, patio furniture, or even the ladder holding you up. Although it might not seem like a real threat, tree branches can be extremely heavy—especially if the limbs are covered with snow or leaves.

Professional tree trimmers counteract this danger by working from the top-down, and roping off branches before they fall. Instead of letting the limbs fall recklessly to the ground, they control the descent to minimize risk. However, this technique typically requires more than one person, which could make it hard to do if you are working on your own.

Instead of braving these dangers by yourself, hire a professional. In addition to having the equipment and understanding to do the job correctly, you might have the chance to sit back and relax.   

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