Stump grinding occurs when a professional arborist uses a special machine to grind down the stump left after a tree is cut down. This makes it different from stump removal, which removes the stump and its roots entirely.

The Pros of Stump Grinding

Here are some pros of stump grinding:

• Stump grinding costs less than completely removing the stump. Though grinding a stump isn’t inexpensive, it’s far less costly than having the stump excavated.
• It removes a site for vermin and diseases. Rats, mice and termites love to make their home in stumps. As they decay, stumps also attract diseases that can spread to the rest of your yard and garden.
• Grinding out a stump is relatively quick. It takes anywhere from a half an hour to an hour and a half for a professional to grind a stump that’s between 24 and 45 inches around. Stumps that are larger than this still take only a few hours.
• It leaves your yard pretty much intact. Excavating a stump and its roots can leave a crater in your yard. Grinding out the stump doesn’t cause this kind of disruption.
• Stump grinding doesn’t require chemicals. The professional uses only the machine. This is eco-friendly, and grinding leaves behind useful sawdust and wood chips.
• Stumps are ugly, and the sight of one or more in a front yard can destroy a house’s curb appeal. Removing a stump helps to restore the property’s attractiveness.
• Grinding out a stump removes a trip and fall hazard. Many stumps are low enough to hide in tall grass, which makes it easy to trip over them.

The Cons of Stump Grinding

The pros of having a stump ground out of your yard outweigh simply leaving it there. Still, there are some drawbacks. Here are a few of them:

• The roots are still in the ground. In many cases, they decay if the stump is ground out. However, this can be a years-long process. Moreover, some trees are so tough that they’ll return if the roots are left intact.
• While the roots remain, you won’t be able to put a new tree in the spot. Roots can even interfere with any new above-ground construction or underground installation you’re contemplating.
• Grinding out a stump is messy. Though the sawdust and wood chips left behind can be useful, they still have to be gathered up and stored somewhere.
• The equipment is unwieldy. The stump grinder is large, heavy and dangerous to handle. There might be problems maneuvering it into a tight space or up a steep hill.
• The roots can still attract vermin and diseases as they rot.

Despite the cons, stump grinding is a good solution to unsightly and hazardous stumps on your property. When you need stump grinding services in Raleigh, NC, contact Triangle Tree Pros.