Stump Grinding – Why You Should Hire a Professional

A tree stump can be a nuisance and an eyesore on your property. Not only does it look bad, but it also poses a safety hazard for kids and seniors who may stub their toes on it or trip over it. It can also prevent lawn and landscaping growth by preventing sunlight from reaching those areas. Stump grinding is the process of removing a tree stump and the surrounding roots, so that it looks like there was never a tree there in the first place. Stumps can be removed by tearing them out of the ground or by digging them up. Neither option is very cost-effective or convenient, but a stump grinder can be the solution to get rid of your unwanted stump.

Stump grinding involves using a machine with sharp, rotating blades to grind down a stump to about 18 inches below the surface of the soil. The machine then pulverizes the remaining stump and roots into wood chips that can be used as mulch, compost or for other purposes. Stumps left in the ground can eventually rot or be re-rooted by sprouting roots. This can be problematic, as the roots can damage pipes and wires that are wrapped around them or cause tripping hazards. Removing a stump completely, however, will help to prevent this from happening.

Hiring a professional to perform this work is generally recommended because they know the equipment and have the experience needed to safely operate it. Stumps can be tricky to work on, especially when conditions like rocky or sloped soil make it difficult to maneuver the machine. Professionals have the experience to handle these challenges and will often save time and money by avoiding the need for multiple trips back and forth.

In addition to making the stump grinding process safer and easier, hiring a professional will ensure that the process is done correctly. Many times, homeowners who attempt to take on this project themselves end up with a mess of a yard and can create costly problems that are not easily resolved. The most common issues include mismeasurement of the diameter of a stump, exposing underground utilities, leaving a large volume of resultant stump debris and post-grinding complications (like root suckers) that can be extremely difficult to deal with.

Burke advises his crew to always call 811 before starting a job, and to mark out 10 feet around any stump that is getting ground, just in case a utility line is buried beneath the surface. He also asks his staff to be careful and use proper safety precautions, such as wearing eye protection, working from a platform or setting up a barrier where possible to keep workers away from the blade.

Stump grinding is a simple but effective way to remove an ugly, unattractive and potentially dangerous eye sore from your yard and open up space you can use for landscaping or other purposes. Keeping an open dialogue with clients throughout the entire process can reduce the stress and frustration that often occurs when customers do not understand what to expect or how the process works.

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