Right now
Storm damage: what to do in the first hour
If a tree just came down on your property, read the first three lines and then go do them.
Do these three things first
1. If anything is touching a power line, call your electric utility. Not a
tree company. A limb across a line can energize the whole tree and the ground
around it. Stay well back.
2. Get people and vehicles out from under it — including the
room underneath. If a limb is on the roof over a bedroom, sleep elsewhere tonight.
3. Photograph everything before anything moves. Wide shots and close
ones. Your insurer will want images taken before cleanup.
Then text me the photos
I can tell a lot from a picture — whether a limb is hanging or resting, whether the trunk is compromised, whether this needs doing tonight or Thursday. That conversation is free and it's faster than waiting for somebody to drive out. (512) 546-3576.
What not to do, seriously
- Don't cut anything under tension. A limb wedged under load stores a startling amount of energy and does not release gently. This is how people get badly hurt in the week after a storm.
- Don't get on the roof. Wet, damaged, and with a tree on it.
- Don't go near anything touching a line, including the ground under it, until the utility says it's dead.
- Don't hire the truck that just knocked on your door. Storm chasers follow weather. Ask for an insurance certificate and a local address before anybody starts a saw on your property.
What's an emergency and what can wait
Tonight: a limb or tree resting on a structure or vehicle. A tree that's come partway down and is hung up in another tree — that's the most dangerous situation in this whole trade. A fresh crack through a trunk. Anything blocking your only way out.
Days, not weeks: a broken limb hanging in the canopy over nothing valuable. A newly leaning tree with soil lifting at the base. Large deadwood over a driveway you can park away from.
Next scheduled visit: deadwood over a back fence, a limb on the shed roof, the branch that's been rubbing your gutter for two years.
Knowing which is which saves you real money. Most of what people call emergencies are the second category.
Insurance, briefly and honestly
I'm a tree climber, not an adjuster, so take this as general orientation rather than advice. Homeowner policies commonly cover removing a tree that has hit an insured structure, and commonly don't cover removing one that simply fell in the yard. Photographs taken before cleanup are what make a claim straightforward. Keep your receipts, and call your insurer before you authorize a large job if you think you'll be claiming.
The cheapest thing you can do is beforehand
Deadwood fails first and at lower wind speeds than live wood. It's what lands on roofs. Taking dead limbs out on a calm Tuesday costs a fraction of dealing with them after they've come through a ceiling, and it closes an open decay path into the trunk at the same time.
If you spend money on one piece of tree work before storm season, make it the deadwood over your house.
Questions I get asked
What should I do if a tree falls on my house?
Get everyone out from under it including the room below, photograph everything before anything is moved, and don't climb on the roof or cut anything under tension. If any part of it is touching a power line, call the electric utility first and stay away from the tree and the ground around it.
Who do I call if a tree is on a power line?
Your electric utility, not a tree service. A limb contacting a conductor can energize the entire tree and the surrounding ground. No tree company should begin work until the utility confirms the line is de-energized.
Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal after a storm?
Generally policies cover removing a tree that has struck an insured structure, and generally they don't cover removing one that simply fell in the yard. Coverage varies, so call your insurer. Photographs taken before any cleanup make the claim far easier.
Should I cut a hanging limb myself?
No. A limb that's hung up or wedged is under tension, and cutting it releases that energy unpredictably. Hung-up limbs and partially fallen trees held by other trees cause a large share of serious post-storm injuries.
How can I prevent storm damage from trees?
Remove deadwood before storm season, since dead limbs fail first and at lower wind speeds. Reduce end weight on long limbs extending over structures. Have trees with visible cracks, cavities or recent leaning assessed before the weather arrives.
Storm damage right now?
Call me and say “hazard” in the first sentence and I’ll move it up the list.
Same-day callback on estimates
Call or text before 5pm on a weekday and you'll hear back from me the same day. Not an answering service — me.