Before the storm

High winds and heavy rain can wreak havoc on weak and stressed trees, causing branches to snap or trees to uproot. Are your trees ready for the next storm?

Trees have a much better chance at surviving a storm if they have received proper care. Remember, healthy trees adjust quickly to changes in the environment and are may be more resilient to storm damage. Therefore, if you are proactive and take the necessary steps to minimize storm damage before it occurs, you can reduce the risk of property damage and save yourself a great hassle and expense
Here in the Tampa Bay Area we are no strangers to Hurricanes and tropical storms. With hurricanes sometimes comes property damage. Not all damage occurring during a storm is a result of high winds alone. Property damage can also be a result of falling trees and flying landscape debris. The key to minimizing your risk against property damage is storm preparedness.

There is no such thing as a hurricane-resistant landscape but with proper care and timely maintenance overseen by a certified arborist, trees can be more resistant to storm damage. Only a certified arborist can ensure that your trees are being properly cared for and have optimal growing conditions.

Pruning is Vital to Hurricane Damage Prevention

A strong, deep-rooted tree may not fall during a storm, but weak limbs in the canopy may. Broken, dead and damaged limbs can be torn from trees during a storm and turned into dangerous projectiles.

Regular pruning done by a professional over the course of the tree’s life can create a sturdy, well-spaced framework of healthy branches with an open canopy that allows wind to flow freely through.

After the storm

If a storm brought down a tree on your property, your homeowner’s insurer most often will pay to remove it, or the company may let it lie. It depends on your policy coverage and the circumstances of the fall.
The reason the tree fell may affect whether you’re covered. If the insurer can show that you neglected the tree until it rotted, that might be grounds for refusing to pay you. If it’s your neighbor’s mistreated tree, your insurer pays you, but may then sue your neighbor to get the money back.

Assess your property for damage and threats. An arborist should be contacted if you: need a chainsaw or ladder to prune away dead, dying or loose branches, if power lines are down, if you are unsure of the structural stability of a tree, or if you do not know if your tree can be saved. In some cases, even a tree that has sustained some damage (defoliated, broken, or blown over) can be treated.
Don’t wait for the insurance money to start removing trees and debris! The sooner you get the tree off your house and any holes repaired, the less damage your furniture and carpets suffer. Before you remove anything, take photographs to record the damage. Insurers review claims carefully for possible fraud and if you can’t prove the tree caved in your roof, the claims adjuster may turn you down. If your tree fell on your car, your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover it, but car insurance might.

Call us today for a FREE tree assessment. Remember, hurricane preparedness is key!