Dangerous DIY Tasks To Avoid In Your Garden

While there can be something deeply satisfying about rolling up your sleeves and tackling a garden project yourself, not every task is suited for the weekend warrior. In fact, some tasks can be quite dangerous to attempt yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. This post breaks down four gardening jobs that are probably best left to the pros. 

Felling large trees

One of the riskiest garden tasks has to be felling a large tree. While you may be able to trim smaller trees without facing too much danger, cutting down big leafy giants comes with all kinds of hazards. A few of the potential dangers include:

• Misjudging the direction that the tree falls, leading to a person or property being crushed.

• Getting injured while using a chainsaw as a result of kickback or loss of balance

• Falling from a ladder or branch while attempting to trim a tree back

There are lots of things you should never do when cutting down a tree. Professional tree removal experts (known as ‘tree surgeons’ or ‘arborists’) receive training to avoid these dangerous mistakes and often have specialist equipment that allows them to more safely remove a tree. In addition, they tend to have insurance, so you’ve covered if something does go wrong. As a result, it’s often better to hire these experts than to attempt to fell a tree yourself. 

Removing wasp nests

Wasps' nests are not to be underestimated. Because wasps are aggressive defenders of their home, they will often swarm a person if their nest is under attack. Getting stung lots of times isn’t just painful, but can increase the risk of serious allergic reactions. If you’re climbing a ladder to reach a high nest, you could also risk falling if you’re stung. 

While there are guides online that detail how to remove wasp nests, it’s typically much safer to hire a pest control expert. They will know the safest way of getting rid of the nest and will also be able to identify any dangerous species (such as hornets).

Installing outdoor electrics

Electrical work generally is something you shouldn’t attempt inside your home without training due to the many dangerous things that can go wrong, and it can be particularly risky when working outdoors. Faulty wiring and water is a recipe for disaster - it could lead to shocks or fires. There are also major risks when digging trenches for cables.

This is why it’s always a good idea to hire a licensed electrician when installing wired-in garden lights, outdoor outlets, fountain lights or other garden electrics. In some cases, it may even be illegal without a permit, so stick with a pro. 

Building your own pool

Another outdoor project that you should never DIY is building an in-ground pool. Not only is it a massive undertaking that will take a lot of time and energy, but it’s also a task that is teeming with potential hazards. An understanding of the engineering is required to prevent leaks and contamination. There are also many things that can go wrong while excavating a pool if you haven’t checked what is below (such as accidentally digging into a pipe).

Professional pool contractors will be able to carry out your pool build safely. They’ll make sure that the pool is durable and they’ll know what dangers to look out for before digging.