Emergency & Storm Damage Tree Removal

What should I do first when a tree comes down?

1. Get everyone clear of the area, including pets, and stay out from under anything hung up in the canopy.
2. Treat every downed line as energized. If a tree is on or near a power line, call the utility first and keep well back. Do not touch the tree, a fence, or anything else in contact with it.
3. Do not cut it yourself. A storm-damaged tree is usually under tension. Limbs and trunks under load move fast and unpredictably when cut, and this is where most homeowner chainsaw injuries happen.
4. Photograph everything before anything is moved, from several angles. Your insurer will want it.
5. Call us and describe what is down and what it is resting on so we can prioritize appropriately.

What counts as an emergency?

We treat a job as emergency priority when there is an active, ongoing risk: a tree or large limb on a house or other structure, a tree blocking a driveway or road, a limb hung up over an area people use, a split or partially uprooted tree that could come down further, or any tree involved with utility lines.

A tree that is dead but stable and standing well clear of everything is not an emergency, and scheduling it normally will cost you less.

Storms that cause the most damage here

In this part of Massachusetts the recurring culprits are heavy wet snow in early and late season, ice accumulation, and summer thunderstorm downbursts. Wet snow and ice load the outer canopy and snap overextended limbs. Downbursts uproot whole trees, especially shallow-rooted species and trees whose neighbors were recently removed, leaving them suddenly wind-exposed.

Will homeowners insurance cover it?

Many policies cover tree removal when a tree strikes a covered structure or blocks a driveway, and coverage is often more limited when a tree simply falls in the yard. Policies vary and we are not able to advise on your specific coverage. What we can do is provide the documentation adjusters typically ask for: photographs, a written description of the work, and an itemized invoice.

Preventing the next one

After the immediate hazard is handled, it is worth walking the rest of the property. Storms tend to expose which trees were already compromised. Deadwood removal and canopy thinning on the trees still standing is the most cost-effective storm preparation there is. See tree trimming and pruning and tree health and hazard assessment.

Call now

(413) 522-2117 — emergency response available, including weekends.