How To Deal With A Fallen Tree Situation
All trees have a finite lifespan. They will eventually fall, whether that will happen during your lifetime or after you die. If you have very old trees on your property, you take the risk that sooner or later this tree will fall.
In some trees, the imminent collapse hazard is obvious. Rot and decay are telltale signs that the tree is prone to fall within a short time. Nonetheless, it happens that apparently healthy trees topple without any warning signs. Even though they look very healthy, their roots may be in very bad shape. Dead roots have a negative impact on tree strength. Sometimes, even a moderate wind can cause the tree to suddenly lose its strength and fall on very short notice. You can easily imagine what would happen during a storm.
What You Can Do When A Tree Falls
The first thing to do is to ensure that everyone around you is safe. Next, you should assess imminent hazards such as down power lines. Don’t touch down power lines, if any. Call the power company instead, as these cables and power lines may still be alive, and therefore pose an electrocution risk.
If a tree falls on your roof, you’ll want to assess the severity of the situation. There are several factors that can help you identify the most urgent issues and the ones that could wait. The following list could help you make sure that your family is safe in the event of a tree falling on your house.
Immediate Evacuation: All of you should get to the main floor as quickly as possible. Make sure everyone is present and safe.
Asking for Help: Should the tree block the exit from the home, call for help. You may need to reach out to emergency services, insurance companies, arborists, etc.
Protection of Your Belongings: Roof damage would leave your home exposed. Do everything you can to protect furniture, carpets, and other moisture-sensitive items. Also, find and secure your valuables. Remember to lock the doors, as well.
Reach Out To An Arborist
Once you’re done with safety measures, contact a Certified Arborist to come over to assess the situation. Arborists are skilled and experienced in dealing with complex trees situations. They know when and how to apply standard tree removal best practices. Furthermore, they have the tools to tackle such jobs safely and efficiently. Keep in mind that the fees for professional services include liability and insurance, as well as the use of specialty tools and equipment such as loaders and cranes. If you find the cost estimate to be way above your expectations, you can ask for a detailed quote to see what it actually includes. More often than not, very cheap tree services offer much less than more expensive ones.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Should the fallen tree cause damage to your property, you must call your insurance company before the beginning of any restoration works. You want the insurance adjuster to come and assess the situation and to write an exhaustive report on the damage. It would be a good idea to try to get both the Arborist and the Adjuster on-site at the same time. As a side benefit if you are looking for a quality tree surgeon I would recommend you take a look at ‘HRG tree surgeons‘.
Remember that regular homeowner’s insurance includes coverage for events such as fallen trees. Your insurance company will pay to have your fallen trees removed and your damage repaired. However, you must call them as soon as possible, in order to have the adjuster observe the full extent of the damage.
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