Before the storm: a ten minute yard check
Walk around the house and look up. You are looking for anything that could reach the roof, the driveway, a car or a power line if it came down.
- Dead branches in the crown, especially large ones over the house. They drop first in high wind.
- A lean that has changed, or soil lifting or cracking on one side of the trunk.
- Cracks or splits in the trunk, or where two big trunks meet.
- Mushrooms or fungus at the base, a sign of rot inside.
- Dead ash trees. Emerald ash borer has killed ash trees across Ohio and West Virginia, and dead ash turns brittle fast. See dead and hazardous trees.
- Branches over the roof or touching gutters. A trim before the season is cheaper than a roof repair after.
If you find any of these on a tree that could hit something, get it looked at. The estimate is free.
During the storm
- Stay inside and away from windows on the side facing large trees.
- Don't go out to check the yard during high wind or lightning.
- Keep cars out from under big trees if you can move them safely before the weather arrives.
After the storm: what to do first
- Assume every downed line is live. Stay away from it and anything it touches, and call your power company first.
- If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 911.
- Take photos of any damage from several angles before anything is moved. Insurance adjusters usually want them.
- Don't climb into a damaged tree or cut a hung or bent tree yourself. Wood under tension can snap back with serious force.
- Stay out of rooms under a tree that is resting on the house.
Then call. Trees on houses and trees blocking the only way out get handled first. See emergency storm removal.
When to call a pro instead of doing it yourself
- The tree or limb is touching or near a power line
- Anything is resting on the house, a car or a fence
- The tree is cracked, split, leaning or hung up in another tree
- The job needs a ladder, climbing or a chainsaw above shoulder height
Small branches on the ground in an open yard are usually fine to clean up yourself. Everything else is worth a free estimate.