TreeStumpRemovalShouldYouDoitYourselforHireaProfessional

By:LaBroiWalton

2

TableofContents

INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 3SELF­REMOVALMETHODS ................................................................................................................. 3IFTIMEISNOTAFACTOR…USECHEMICALSORBURN ...................................................................................... 3UsingChemicalsonyourstump .....................................................................................................................3Burningthestumpout… ..................................................................................................................................4

IFTIMEISAFACTOR… ............................................................................................................................................. 5Rentastumpgrinder ..........................................................................................................................................5Diggingoutyourstump.....................................................................................................................................5

SELF–REMOVALPROBLEMS .............................................................................................................. 5NO,IWANTTHESTUMPGONENOW,BUTIDON’TWANTTODOTHEWORK.................. 6YOUNEEDTOHIREAPROFESSIONAL .................................................................................................................... 6Whattolookforwhenhiringaprofessionaltreestumpremover…..............................................6Whenshouldyouhireaprofessionaltoremoveyourtreestump(s)… .........................................6

HOWTOFINDAQUALITYPROFESSIONALTREESTUMPREMOVER.................................................................. 6HOWMUCHDOESTREESTUMPREMOVALCOST,ONAVERAGE,INSANDIEGO?............................................ 7

3

IntroductionDoyouhaveatreestumpthatisjustinyourway?Howbigisit?Isitsmall,medium,orlarge?Nomatterthesize,thisreportwillexplaintoyouhowtogetthoseannoyancesremovedforgood.Includedinthisreportwillbeacommonlistofproblemsandhowtoavoidthemwhenremovingastump,alternativeself‐removalmethods,andhowtofindtherightprofessionaltodothejobforyouifneeded.

Self‐RemovalMethodsTreestumpscanbeverydifficulttoremovefromtheground.Theycanbedugout,shreddedwithastumpgrinder,burnt,orremovedovertimewiththehelpofspecificchemicalproducts.

IftimeisNOTafactor…usechemicalsorburn

UsingChemicalsonyourstumpToolsneeded:adrillThemostcommonwayforpeopletoremovestumpsisbyusingspecifiedchemicalproductsthatbreakdownstumpsovertime.Thismethodisoptimaliftimeisnotafactorand/orifyouarenotlookingtospendmuchcash(qualitystumpremovalproductscostbetween$5‐$10).Itcouldtakeseveralweeksormonths(anaverageof4to6weeks,dependingonthestumpsize)forthestumptocompletelydecay.

ThekeychemicaloftheseproductsisPotassiumNitrate(KNO3).Thisiswhatcausestherapiddecompositionofthestump.Afterthestumphasrotted,therewillbesmaller,manageablepiecesofthestumpleftforyoutopickupandtossorrecycle.Theinstructionsonhowtoapplythetreeremovalagentwillbeonthebottle,butIwillexplaininshorthowitworksbeforeleavingthehouse.Adrillwillbeneededtomakeseveralholesinthetopofthestumpthatareabout1inchindiameterand6–8inchesdeep.You

4

willthenpourthechemicalsintotheseholeswherethechemicalswillheatupthestumpfromwithinandkilltheroots.Youwillberequiredtopourmoreofthechemicalintheholesovertimeuntilthedecompositionhasbeencompleted.Thiscouldendupcostingyoumoremoneythanyouwantedtospendintheendifyouhaveabiggerstumpandhavetobuyseveralbottlesofatreestumpremovalagent.

Burningthestumpout…Burningthestumpisyoursecond,oldest,optionifyouaretightonmoneyandtimeisnotanissue.Whatburningdoesisspeedupthedecompositionprocess,justlikethechemicalsdo,butinanaturalway.Thefearwithburningisthatthestumpwillcatchonfirewhenyouarenotaround.Thisispossibleiftherightprecautionsaren’tmet.Whenburningastump,youarerequiredtodrillholesintothetopofthestumpandfillthemwithkeroseneorspecialtreestumpburningpowder.Next,youlightitandputabarrier(i.e.halfmetalbarrelwithseveralholesinthetopofit)overthestumptokeepapotentialfirecontainedwhilethestumpisburningfromwithin.Thebarrierwillnotonlyprotectagainstanuncontrollablefirebutwillalsohelpsmolderthefireandmakethestumpashfaster.Whenburningthestump,youdonotsetthewholestumponfire,butburnthetopofthestump.Whenthestumpbeginstosmokefromwithin,youknowthatyouaredoingitcorrectly.Seeingthisletsyouknowthatitisburningtherootsandthedecompositiontimewillbespedup.

5

IftimeISafactor…

RentastumpgrinderNotonlyarestumpgrinderslargeandintimidatingbuttheyareVERYexpensivetorent.Theycanrunyoubetween$70‐300inSanDiego,dependingonhowlongyouneedit.Figure1­Stumpgrindersarerentedoutforabout$70­300

Diggingoutyourstump

Diggingoutthestumpisanotheralternativeifyouwantitgonefaster.Thisisrelativelyfasterthanthepreviousalternatives,butitisverylaborintensive.Youmaywanttousethechemicalorburningalternativesfirsttomakethisjobeasieronyou.Ifyouchoosetogothisroute,agoodtoolforremovingyourstumpmanuallyisamattock.Figure2­UseaMattocwhentryingtodigupyourstump

Self–RemovalProblems

1. Stumpistoolargetoremoveinadecentamountoftimeusinglow‐cost,self‐removalmethods

2. Chanceofothertrees/materialcatchingfireifstumpisburnt3. Possiblefirewhenyouarenotaround(firesinthestumparen’tvisible)4. Costly(whenbuyingchemicalsforalargestump,orrentingastumpgrinder)5. Creationofimmovablecharcoalmaterialwherethestumpusetobecaused

byburningitincorrectly6. Mayneedtoobtainafirepermittoburnyourstump

6

NO,IWanttheStumpGoneNOW,butIDON’TWanttoDotheWork

YouneedtohireaprofessionalIfyouwantthisstumpoutofyourlife,butnotlookingforwardtomakingtimetodoityourself,youcanhireaprofessionaltocomedotheworkforyou.Thiscouldcostyoualittlemorethantheabovealternatives,butwhatyoupayforiswellworththetimeandheadacheyousavefromtryingtodoityourself(especiallyifyouareattemptingtodigitout).

Whattolookforwhenhiringaprofessionaltreestumpremover…

1. Theyguaranteetheirwork2. Theyareaccreditedandhavetheircontractors’license.(checkwithyour

state’sDepartmentofConsumerAffairs–thisisthewebsiteforCaliforniaresidents)

3. Theyshouldincluderemovalofthewoodpiecesandcleartheareaafterremovalatnoextracost.

4. Fillthestumpholewithsoil,ifneeded,atlittleornocost.

Whenshouldyouhireaprofessionaltoremoveyourtreestump(s)…

1. Whenyouhavenotimetoremoveityourself2. Whenthestumpistoolargeforyoutodigout,burn,orusechemicalson3. Whenyouwantaquickresolution4. Whenyouhaveotherlandscapingplansforthatsameareaorother

landscapingplansingeneral(manycontractorsworkoutdealsandyoumaynotevenhavetopayforyourremovalifyouaregettingotherworkdone)

5. Whenyou’vetriedeverythingthatyouarewillingtoandtheyhaven’tworkedout

6. Theyareinsured.Iftheyscrewup,itistheirfaultandareliable(whyaccreditationisimportant)

Howtofindaqualityprofessionaltreestumpremover

7

1. Checktheirwebsitesforcredentials.2. Lookforreviewsonthecompany(checktheBBB—BetterBusinessBureau,

Yelp,etc)3. Askyourlocalgardensupplystore

Howmuchdoestreestumpremovalcost,onaverage?TheaveragecostoftreestumpremovalinSanDiegoisaround$125(shouldnotcostmuchmorethanthisinotherstates).Ifyouarebeingquotedatmuchmorethanthisthatmaybearedflagindicatingthatyouarebeingtakenadvantageof.