Emergency Storm Tree Service in Huntsville, AL

Emergency storm tree service in Huntsville usually follows a line of spring or late-fall thunderstorms, a tornado warning, or a soaking rain followed by wind. Saturated clay gives roots less grip, and a tall pine or oak that stood fine for decades can uproot or snap in one gust. The first priorities are people and power lines; the tree itself comes next. Once the area is safe, the work is about getting weight off the roof, opening the driveway, and keeping more damage from happening.

First steps for homeowners

Get everyone out of rooms where a tree has come through the roof. Stay far away from any downed wire, and assume it is live; report it to Huntsville Utilities or your electric provider, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or a line is sparking. Take photos of the damage from a safe distance before anything is moved, because your insurance company will want them. Then call us at (938) 666-8748 with what happened and where the tree is lying.

How a tree comes off a roof

A tree lying on a house is often still under tension, with branches loaded like springs and part of the weight still on the stump or root plate. Cutting it in the wrong order can drop more weight onto the roof or swing a section into a wall. We study how it is lying, take the pressure off in stages, and lift or lower pieces away from the structure. Once the tree is off, the roof can be tarped by you, your roofer or your insurer's contractor.

Storm history here

Huntsville sits in Dixie Alley, and its storm record is long. The F4 tornado of November 15, 1989, cut an 18.5-mile path across south Huntsville and Jones Valley and killed 21 people. The April 27, 2011, Super Outbreak left most of North Alabama without power for days. Smaller storms bring down trees every year, often trees that were already weakened by decay, root damage from construction, or beetle attack.

Hanging limbs and leaners

Not every storm problem is on the ground. A broken limb caught high in a tree, sometimes called a hanger, can fall days later with no warning. A tree that tipped partway and is now resting on another tree, or leaning hard with its roots lifted, is unstable. These should be dealt with soon, and nobody should stand under them in the meantime.

Insurance and paperwork

Homeowner policies often cover removing a tree that falls on an insured structure in a storm, with limits; trees that fall in open yard without hitting anything are often treated differently. We provide a written, itemized invoice you can send to your insurer. Be wary of anyone going door to door after a storm asking for cash up front.