Storm Work Tips and Tricks

[BC WetCoast]

Gents. We had a significant windstorm blow through here last weekend and we have been doing a number of tree on house removals. What I would like is for people to share any tips or tricks they may have for removing trees off of roofs. The one caveat to my question, NO cranes or lift trucks.

Some areas I would like to learn new tricks:
- how do you tie in? do you tie in?
- what do you do when you've cleared the top off the roof and the log is sitting on the edge of the roof and stump
- when do you tie into the tree and when don't you due to the risk of the tree standing up on it's own.

My first trick - when the tree is cleaned and leaning only on the roof edge, place a bunch of firewood blocks under the tree and use a bottle jack to lift the end of the tree off the roof so you can then buck off pieces to clear the building.

 

[Oak Savanna]

Gents. We had a significant windstorm blow through here last weekend and we have been doing a number of tree on house removals. What I would like is for people to share any tips or tricks they may have for removing trees off of roofs. The one caveat to my question, NO cranes or lift trucks.

Some areas I would like to learn new tricks:
- how do you tie in? do you tie in?
- what do you do when you've cleared the top off the roof and the log is sitting on the edge of the roof and stump
- when do you tie into the tree and when don't you due to the risk of the tree standing up on it's own.

My first trick - when the tree is cleaned and leaning only on the roof edge, place a bunch of firewood blocks under the tree and use a bottle jack to lift the end of the tree off the roof so you can then buck off pieces to clear the building.

I saw that all over the news. Get a block or several blocks up in neighbouring trees (if they are around) and rig the piece up then run the other end of the rope to a mini skid or a big skid steer. Can use re-directs and get the pull out to the front of the house and use a truck if need be. You can also throw ball and set lines if getting a block up there is not possible. As far as tying in, thats gotta be your call! If you are worried about the piece being spring loaded, anchor it down with a rope and porty. Also if you are cutting stuff under tension a polesaw can be handy allowing you to be about 12-14 feet away from the piece. We had a tornado rip through our town last summer. What a mess! We rolled with a crane for 2 weeks pulling trees off of houses. The house in the pictures below was tucked back in the woods and had a narrow winding driveway not allowing us to get a crane or boom truck in. All of those red pines were pulled off that house by setting a block up in a remaining tree that was still solid and down to another block redirecting the pull to a clear path beside the house with the skid steer. We had lots of 3/4" bull rope, 5- 3/4"blocks and slings, big skid steer, mini skid and helmet comm systems to help everything go smooth. Stay alert out there, if you are tired then shut er down for the day! Stay safe!

 

[HuskStihl]

I'd want a crane. Or at least a big lift-truck.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yes, always tie in. If I"m on the roof, I may throw my lifeline over the peak and secure it to something in the opposite yard, then srt off it. Use other trees as much as possible, the one youre cutting only in very rare occasions

Keep your footing clear! Clean as you go. I'll yusually keep a blower up there with me an stop and blow the roof off every few cuts. Even just sawdust on a metal roof will dump you.

There are times when a second tip is impractical or impossible. Keep a hand saw handy.

Take your time, and think through your cuts and balance changes.

Don't be too proud to walk away. Sometimes it's just a crane job, plain and simple. An off-road extend a boom forklift is a good substitute, especially in single story structures.

Be safe! Wish I was there! Jeff

 

[Toms&Co.]

I really have no business commenting but wonder if a pulley system.. 5:1 at least i'd think and directional felling could help, keeps you off the tree at least, might damage house coming off thou..

 

[Zale]

I always let the client know we are not responsible for any further damage in situations like above.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

If you're working with insurance companies and they've got before pictures it can still get messy. Always take your own pics.

 

[BC WetCoast]

We usually work for the restoration companies. They're the ones with the contract with the insurance company. Usually we're contracted to just get the tree off the roof, no clean up. With a bit of luck (sometimes), we get the clean up contract later. Been on a few jobs where there is no way I would want any part of the cleanup.

 

[Blakesmaster]

A grcs is a great tool for lifting the butt off the house of you have a good rigging point.

I have done it the "opposite" way when no rigging point existed. Tie the whole top down to the house anchored off various things on the ground so it can't move. Climb out on the trunk and cut it so that it will miss the house when it falls free. Then slowly dice and untie the top.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Cool idea, I've never seen this or thought of it.

 

[ATH]

Well, if access is the issue for the no crane stipulation, there are options. If price is the issue, maybe this won't work out:

just don't do this

 

[pdqdl]

Gents. We had a significant windstorm blow through here last weekend and we have been doing a number of tree on house removals. What I would like is for people to share any tips or tricks they may have for removing trees off of roofs. The one caveat to my question, NO cranes or lift trucks.

Some areas I would like to learn new tricks:
- how do you tie in? do you tie in? On the roof, if too steep to walk safely: throw a rope over the eave and pretend you are a roofer. Chances are good that the roofer will be along to fix it anyway, but try not to injure the peak with your rope.
- what do you do when you've cleared the top off the roof and the log is sitting on the edge of the roof and stump. Put a loader beneath it (Only if it has adequate capacity to hold the load), brace it up by some other means, or rig a hoisting system from a nearby tree.
- when do you tie into the tree and when don't you due to the risk of the tree standing up on it's own. Only experience can answer that question. In general, If I thought it might stand back up, I would chain/tie it down or work from another tree. They usually don't stand back up until a lot of weight has been cut off, and you should be able to tell as you are removing branches from the top.

My first trick - when the tree is cleaned and leaning only on the roof edge, place a bunch of firewood blocks under the tree and use a bottle jack to lift the end of the tree off the roof so you can then buck off pieces to clear the building. That is one way to do it.

My comments in red.

 

[250R]

In this type of situation the home owner is advised that subsequent damage occurs and we are not resopnsible. If there is no adeqate anchor to tie into we walk away rather that die doing the removal. We use an adjustable lolly column strapped to the trunk to help take the presure of the roof. The GRCS is probably your best bet to lift off the roof. Then use a second one to pull it away from the house.

 

[pdqdl]

Lolly column? What be that?

 

[Ryan Shaw]

Very cool ideas. Also, making an a-frame under the tree. I've thought for a while about making a steel a-frame that has a permanent winch mounted to it. As you crank the winch, it sucks the two "legs of the a-frame together, forcing the apex upward. Then it would lift the tree up and off the house.

 

[Nish]

Very cool ideas. Also, making an a-frame under the tree. I've thought for a while about making a steel a-frame that has a permanent winch mounted to it. As you crank the winch, it sucks the two "legs of the a-frame together, forcing the apex upward. Then it would lift the tree up and off the house. View attachment 449226

I'm thinking the feet will just dig into the ground as you winch the legs together. Maybe add some heavy duty wheels and tires on the legs? Or maybe a hinging steel ski on each foot.

Maybe it would be better to just outfit each leg with its own trailer tongue jack, holding the A-frame legs rigidly apart with a (removable) cross beam/bar. One could outfit a couple of heavy duty trailer tongue jacks with a steel seat for bolting on 4x4 beams at variable heights. The beams could be chainsawed to length on the job site and bolted into a rigid A-frame with 2x4s.

 

[Ryan Shaw]

I guess I should have put this in my sketch, but on the bottom of the a-frame would be a piece of C-channel that the a-frame runs along. I wouldn't be opposed to having some kind of steel casters on the legs though. But yeah, first you measure what spot on the tree fits the length of the device, then you cut a small notch in the tree to hold the apex, then you dig a grove in the ground to install the c-channel (that way the device won't slip out,) and then you slide in the device. If I ever make it, I'll have to upload pictures

 

[BC WetCoast]

I think if you were to take the a-frame idea and at the apex, either put in a hydraulic bottle jack or screw jack that would lift straight up.

In this type of situation the home owner is advised that subsequent damage occurs and we are not resopnsible. If there is no adeqate anchor to tie into we walk away rather that die doing the removal. We use an adjustable lolly column strapped to the trunk to help take the presure of the roof. The GRCS is probably your best bet to lift off the roof. Then use a second one to pull it away from the house.

Be nice to have 1 GRCS let alone 2.

 

[oldboy]

Man that house with the tornado downed trees doesn't look that beat up, must have been strong construction and a bit of grace from lady luck. This was my next door neighbors place after a wind a few weeks ago. Just one tree, though he did make his house out of one by ones and sheet metal, gotta do better than that to protect against the big bad wolf. Looks like a tricky job you had on your hands.