kimw57•1d ago

Old timer told me to stop using spikes on removals near houses

Back in 2005, a guy named Red who'd been climbing since the 70s told me spikes were lazy for takedowns close to houses. I thought he was just old school, but after I gouged a customer's gutter last spring on a big oak, I realized he was right all along. Anyone else learn a hard way that the old guys knew their stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

felixlane1d ago

Eh, gutters are easy to fix, is it really that big a deal?

lucasw841d ago

Oh man, my neighbor tried the "easy fix" route last spring. He spent three weekends up on a ladder, then his wife finally called me because her garden was basically a swamp. Three weekends for a job that takes me maybe five hours start to finish. I'm not exactly a spring chicken anymore, but I swear I could have done it in less time if he'd just backed off and let someone who's done it before take over. I guess what I'm saying is, yeah, they're simple in theory, but it's one of those things where doing it wrong means you get to do it twice, and the second time usually involves a lot more swearing and a wet basement.

alice_allen51d ago

Wait, didn't you read that article in TreeBuzz a few months back about a guy who had to replace three sections of brand new seamless gutter after a removal went sideways? I remember it clear as day because he was using spikes too and ended up splitting the gutter right at the seam. I get that gutters are easy to fix, but that's still money out of the customer's pocket, and bad rep for you. Plus, if you're gouging the metal, you're probably also putting divots in the fascia board behind it. That's the kind of stuff that makes homeowners pick up the phone and call your insurance, not you for the next job.