Leaves can pile up in your yard in Pennsylvania during the fall season, and while there are various ways to get rid of them, burning them shouldn't be one! Burning leaf piles is advised against because the smoke releases irritants into the air that can cause respiratory issues. Burning them can also be dangerous because the leaves or embers could blow away and start a fire elsewhere. What's more, it's illegal to burn leaf piles in many places within the state to safeguard properties, lives, and the environment. The best way to deal with the leaf piles is to hire professionals to clean up the leaves for you.

Burning leaf piles releases irritants into the air that can cause respiratory issues.

One of the top reasons why you shouldn't burn the leaf piles in your yard in Pennsylvania is because they release irritants into the air. Burning leaf piles is a health hazard, especially if there are people nearby who have asthma or other respiratory issues. That's because the smoke from burning leaves has particles that can be inhaled, entering the lungs and irritating them. These particles can also accumulate in your lungs and limit the amount of air that enters them, causing breathing problems to those who inhale the smoke.

Whether the leaves in your yard are wet or dry, you'll want to avoid burning them. However, you'll want to remember that wet leaves emit more smoke than dry leaves. What's more, this smoke contains hydrocarbons and produces carbon monoxide as a byproduct. The hydrocarbons from the smoke are potentially carcinogenic and cause severe irritation to your lungs, eyes, nose, and throat. Meanwhile, inhaling carbon monoxide from the smoke can also limit how much oxygen your red blood cells carry, which can result in serious health issues for the affected individual.

Burning leaf piles can be a fire hazard.

Burning leaves is not only harmful to you and the people on your property but can also cause problems for the entire community. The fire from a burning leaf pile can quickly go out of control and lead to a bigger one that spreads fast. If the wind picks up unexpectedly, it can blow away embers and leaves and cause another fire to start somewhere else. These embers can also lead to house fires and even bushfires that affect large areas of land!

Burning Leaf Piles Is Illegal in Many Places in Pennsylvania

Many places in Pennsylvania prohibit burning leaf piles and other yard waste because of the dangers it can cause. There's also a state ban that prohibits burning leaf piles and other brush within woodlands or 200 feet of woodlands. However, different counties and cities within the state may have other restrictions and bans in place to reduce the negative byproducts of burning leaf piles. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, more than 98% of the wildfires in the state are caused by people's actions.

What should you do with the leaf piles instead of burning them?

The best thing to do with leaf piles is to have them professionally removed. You'll want to schedule a professional leaf removal service so experts can clean up all the leaves from your yard and keep it looking neat. They have the right equipment and follow a strict process to ensure they thoroughly remove all the leaves from your property. It's best to hire a leaf removal company with vacuum trucks that can suck up all the leaves and haul them off your property in Pennsylvania. They'll dispose of the leaves properly and safely so you don't have to burn them!

Call us today to sign up for our leaf removal service!

Our team at Countywide Landscape offers a leaf removal service to commercial and residential properties, as well as HOAs, in West Chester, Downingtown, Exton, and nearby areas in Pennsylvania. This service involves collecting all the leaves from your yard to the curb and then sucking them up with our vacuum trucks so we can haul them off your property. We will also visit your property two to three times in the fall to keep up with them and ensure it stays pristine. Give us a call today at (610) 285-9727 to sign up for our leaf removal service.