Emergency Call: What to Do When a Tree Falls on Your House

Strong winds and wet soil were a dangerous combination that led to a 100-foot tree falling onto a home in Northern Virginia earlier this month. No one was injured, but the house sustained substantial damage.

“A tree fallen onto a house is a very common occurrence in a wind storm or hurricane, especially in our Northern Virginia area,” says the highly rated JL Tree Service in Fairfax, Virginia.

Unlike normal tree or stump removal, fallen trees often require a quick response from a company at the ready. This is especially true if parts of the tree have damaged your home or blocked your driveway.

Tree Removal Companies Operate 24 Hours

That’s when you need a local tree service company that provides emergency services. Many highly rated tree removal services operate 24 hours a day. They also keep a fleet of specialized vehicles at the ready. Costs vary depending on the size of the tree and the equipment needed to remove it. Tree service companies can provide a variety of services, but some focus mainly on tree maintenance, such as fertilizing and pruning.

Those companies, however, aren’t going to be of much help when limbs and branches are in the middle of your living room. So, if a tree does fall on your home, what are the first things you should do? JL Tree Service walks you through it.

Safety, Quick Reaction Are Top Tree Removal Priorities

• The first thing a resident should do is make sure everyone in the house and around it is safe.

• Next, call your insurance company to inform them of what happened. Typically, your homeowners policy will cover the cost of removing trees that fall onto a structure. Each policy, however, is different so ask specific questions.

• Thirdly, call a tree company that can handle emergencies. They should be able to provide a free estimate to remove the storm-damaged tree from your house. Often they will be able to have an estimator at your door within the first few hours.