5 Reasons To Clear Brushy Areas Near Your Home
It's not uncommon to find badly overgrown and brushy areas on a large property, whether it's your entire backyard or a side lot area that has been allowed to "go natural." There are a few good reasons why you may want to clear these areas, particularly when they are close to your house or outbuildings.
1. Fire Protection
Wildfires can quickly burn through a brush-covered lot, especially if there is a lot of old low growth or dead plant materials. These brush fires burn hot and fast, so they can spread to your home before you have a chance to do anything about it. In areas with high fire risks, there are often legal requirements that dictate how far out from the house all brush must be cleared in order to reduce fire risks.
2. Pest Reduction
Overgrown areas can be home to pests great and small. Not only is there the risk of nuisance animals, like raccoons and skunks, setting up their home base near your house, but there are also risks from smaller critters. Insect pests like ticks and mosquitoes can be more of a problem in brush-filled areas. There can also be risks from plant disease pathogens that can kill or damage the trees and plants in your landscaping.
3. Flood Prevention
Water filtration and flow through badly overgrown areas can be slowed drastically, which means water collects on the surface instead of draining into catch basins, storm drains, or nearby creeks. This leads to a higher water table near your home, which can affect foundations, the quality of your yard, and septic systems. Clearing the land allows for better drainage and can greatly reduce flooding concerns.
4. Security Needs
Security and safety may not be a huge concern in more rural areas, but in urban and suburban locales, a nearby overgrown area can provide cover for intruders and thieves. Even those who are harmlessly walking through the area may pose issues, as it only takes one dropped cigarette to start a devastating fire.
5. Value Improvement
Clearing the area can be of financial benefit, too. If there is a lot of timber on the lot, it can be sold for a profit or to offset the clearing cost. Even with no timber sales, the increase in value for your property, not to mention the improved appearance, can be well worth the expense of the initial lot clearing.
Contact a land clearing service to learn more.
