What to Do When a Tree Falls on Your House
The first steps after a tree falls on your home: stay safe, cut power if needed, document for insurance, and call an emergency crew. What not to touch.
First 15 Minutes — Safety Above Everything
Step 1: Get out. If the tree hit the house, leave. Don’t re-enter to grab things. A compromised roof can collapse.
Step 2: Get everyone accounted for. Check on family members and pets. Meet at a pre-agreed spot away from the damage.
Step 3: Assume any lines are live. Stay well away from downed power lines — even if they look dead. Don’t touch anything that’s touching a line.
Step 4: Call 911 if injuries are involved. Otherwise, move to insurance and cleanup.
Next 30 Minutes — Utilities and Insurance
Cut power and gas if lines are down or the structure is compromised. Main breaker at the panel; gas shutoff at the meter. If you can’t reach the shutoffs safely, call the utility (Con Ed, Central Hudson, or your local utility) to shut off remotely.
Call your insurance carrier to open a claim. You want a claim number before cleanup starts. Don’t wait for morning — carriers have 24/7 claim lines.
Photograph everything from a safe distance. From multiple angles. The tree in place, the damage on the house, any surrounding damage (fence, car, neighbor’s yard). Timestamped photos are gold for the claim.
Next Hour — Call the Emergency Crew
Call 914-907-4131. We dispatch 24/7 for exactly this scenario.
When you call, have ready:
- Your address
- Brief description (tree on house, what part of the house, still standing partially?)
- Whether utilities are involved
- Whether anyone was injured (911 first if yes)
- Photos if it’s safe to take them
We triage by hazard — trees on structures with people inside get top priority. During large storms with many calls, we sequence by severity.
What Not to Do
- Don’t try to move the tree yourself. Trees on structures are under tension and unpredictable. Amateur cutting can cause the roof to collapse further.
- Don’t cut anything near power lines. Ever. Utility first, tree second.
- Don’t dispose of the tree before the adjuster sees it. Or at least document extensively — the adjuster may want the tree in place.
- Don’t sign anything from door-knockers. Storm chasers show up after events. Legitimate crews don’t cold-call.
What We Do When We Arrive
- Safety assessment — utilities, structural stability, evacuation zones
- Documentation — photos, damage description, itemized emergency estimate handed to you before we start
- Stabilization — sometimes we brace or secure before cutting
- Controlled removal — sectioning the tree off the structure without additional damage
- Debris cleanup — full hauling included
- Documentation package — dated photos, itemized invoice, damage description for your claim
Insurance Coordination
Your homeowners policy will almost certainly cover this. See our full guide on does insurance cover tree removal for what to expect from the claims process.
We don’t file the claim on your behalf — that’s between you and your carrier. But every emergency job we handle comes with the documentation adjusters ask for.
After the Tree Is Off
You’ll need:
- Roof / structural repair — a separate contractor, not us
- Interior damage — water damage, drywall, ceiling repairs
- Landscape cleanup — if we haven’t already covered it
- Tree replacement — if it was a specimen tree, we can help pick and plant a replacement
For emergencies: 914-907-4131, any time.
Related: emergency tree service, storm damage cleanup, what to do after a storm.