The sirens have finally shut off & the winds have died down & Mother Nature has taken quite a toll on your home & yard. You go outside to assess the damage & you notice that one of your trees is down. Not only is it down, but it has fallen into another tree- now what do you do? First of all, determine if the trees that have taken the hit from Mother Nature have any part of them that are in striking distance of your home. If so, you need to call a tree care company immediately. Sometimes a downed tree removal is really not a big deal because the tree was small & perhaps it was out in the middle of the yard & poses no threat to persons or property. On the other hand, many times downed tree removals include trees that are lying on the house, across the driveway blocking access to the home or as in the scenario I began with, the tree has fallen into another tree & you are now dealing with one downed tree for removal and one possibly damaged tree. That takes expert advice from an arborist.
A handy to-do list for your downed tree
This list will help to keep you safe in your home & more money safe in your wallet:
- If there has been any power lines or gas meters pulled due to the tree falling (the Gas Company calls them runaway meters) be sure to call your electric & gas providers first to insure that no fire hazard is posed to your home & power has been disconnected.
- Call a reputable tree company. A local tree service provider with a good service history, insurance that can be verified and one that provides emergency service with all the tools, equipment & training to handle dangerous & difficult downed tree removals.
- Make sure that the company provides service to your area that they won’t be trying to charge you a trip fee in order to come assess the damage or to do the work. For instance, Hansen’s Tree Service services all of Metro St. Louis & St. Charles Counties, Lincoln & Warren counties along with near counties in IL from our location in O’Fallon, MO. In the Branson/ Springfield/ SW MO area, we service most all counties surrounding Branson & Springfield along with counties in NW Arkansas. Just call the numbers provided on this website for a free estimate.
- Do not work with contractors who ask for money up front for any of this downed tree removal work. Reputable tree companies will want their payment as soon as the job is finished & you are happy with the work- but not before!
- Check insurance. Ask for proof of insurance & then call the insurance company & make sure the policy is valid & in force.
- Before any storm blows through your area, why not do some research on a tree care company & jot the name & number of that company on the list where you keep your other emergency numbers for police, fire, ambulance, doctors, the electric & gas companies etc. We’ve heard many times how the gas & electric companies cannot come & reestablish vital services until the downed trees have been removed & the area is secure. Be sure to check with the BBB to determine if the business has a satisfactory rating & better yet, to see if the company has been accredited by the BBB.