Taking Down Standing Dead Apricot - Next to Garage

[TreePapa]

And also next to property line fence. And w/o a chainsaw. The wires in the pic are CATV, not power.

Yesterday I went out and limbed all the low stuff off this Apricot tree that died a year or two ago, or at least, started dying a year or two ago. Some of the limbs we really dead and dry, others only partly dead. I mostly used a manual pole saw, actual a combo pole saw / pole pruner. Also a bow saw and a pruning saw.

Problem is that I got just about all I can get from the ground. Maybe in a week or two I'll go up on the roof and see if the pole saw will work from that angle. But even some of the limbs, maybe two inches in diameter, came crashin' down pruty good when I finally cut through 'em w/ the pole saw and I had to try to jump out of the way - in limited space. Even if I had a chainsaw (other than the 18 v ryobi), I'd be real reluctant to use it here.

This seems to leave me two choices (1) climb the tree and / or the ladder and cut more limbs with the bow saw. Or (2) try to find a pro who will bring it down, buck everything over six inches, and leave the cleanup to me, for a reasonable $$.

The prob w/ trying to bring this down myself is that once I successfully cut through a branch (or eventually, trunk), it wants to come down, fast, and either on the eaves of garage or on me. Damaging the eaves would be unfortunate and expensive. Damaging me, somewhat more so. If this tree were in a more open area, it would be easy.

BTW, I am taking it down because it's dead and next to the garage and I'd rather take it down, or even pay someone to do so, than have it come down on its own. Firewood is a distant 3rd priority after safety and aesthetics.

Any suggestions?

 

[glacialhills]

That's why we have rope. You need to get high up there and tie off the one you are cutting to another branch and when it drops it only goes to the tie off then you lower the piece that you just cut safely to the ground by the rope, repeating till you have a stump.This is why arborist's and tree services get paid $$$ to do this...it is dangerous and takes a lot of skill and know how. If I were you, I would hire someone that has the skills to safely cut up and lower this to the ground. Real easy way to get hurt to keep doing what you have been doing.Maybe check and see if your insurance company will pay to have it taken down, alternative is to leave it alone till it falls on its own and have insurance pay for a new fence/garage or both.

 

[TreePapa]

Yeah ... I'm purty sure my insurance DEDUCTIBLE is more than a competent tree service will charge to take the tree down, especially if i do the cleanup. I have to make some calls, starting w/ the last outfit that trimmed for us. It might have to wait a bit. Hopefully, I removed enough weight that the branches won't crack in the windstorms that are almost sure to come this fall, or the rainstorms that we hope to get this winter / next spring.

Peace,
- Sequoia