A Tree Hit My Home! Now What?
A tree falling on your home can be a terrifying experience. It can also put your life and the lives of your family in great danger. Knowing the steps to take if this happens to you will help you be prepared for if that time does come. Storms with high wind speeds and large amounts of rain can create an unstable environment for any tree causing it to fall; a few other reasons might include:
- disease
- infestation
- poor soil
- old age
- construction damage
- root damage
You never really know what will cause a tree to fall at any given moment, but it’s always important to know what to do. If you find yourself saying, “A tree hit my home! Now what?” Then read on to know the steps you should be taking in this situation.
Call Emergency Services and Your Electrical Company
The first thing you should always do is remove yourself, your family, and pets from the house. A fallen tree can cause a lot of damage to the structure of a home that you might not be aware of. By removing yourself and others from the house, you ensure everyone’s safety and the integrity of your home.
Once you are removed, the next step is to contact emergency services and your electrical company, especially if you notice downed powerlines. Authorities will block the necessary roads and paths to prevent electrical shock or injuries and put out fires if there are any. Your electrical company will send out technicians to control the situation and begin repairs on electrical wires.
Assessing the Damage and Documentation
You should not begin to assess your home’s damage until the area is safe to do so. Once the scene is declared safe by authorities and the electrical company, you can assess the damage. If it is safe to be back in the home, make sure to take precautions in the area where the tree fell.
If there is an exposed roof, windows, or walls, contact a reputable contractor to help board up the damage for the time being. You don’t want to leave openings in your home. This can cause further potential damage from the environment and leaves an open door for critters to come into your home.
Documentation is critical for providing evidence you will be giving to your insurance company. You can do this by taking many quality pictures and videos of the damage. If you cannot take these pictures yourself, you can hire a professional to help you and get the best angles.
File a Claim with Your Insurance
Once you have all of your documentation and evidence, it is time to make a claim to your insurance. Once the claims process gets on its way, you might need to receive estimates from a few different contractors on the cost of fixing the damages. Typically, a claims adjuster will also come to your home to assess the damage and repair costs.
It’s important to note that your homeowner’s insurance may be different than your neighbors. It is all based on the individual policy you have and the company. The policy will include the deductible you must pay out of pocket before the insurance company pays the rest. If you do not know what you are covered, it might be a good time to read through your policy agreement to double-check.
How to Prevent Another Disaster
After everything is said and done, it’s now time to understand how you can prevent this from happening again. It’s important to note that sometimes these situations happen even with preventative measures taken. However, it doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious.
The best way to do this is to hire a team of professionals to assess the trees surrounding your property. By doing this, you can better understand which trees might be a high risk for falling and damaging your property and which may not be. After this assessment, you can have the necessary trees pruned and or removed from your property.
A Tree Hit My Home: Conclusion
If you experience a situation such as this, always take immediate action. A fallen tree in your home can be life-threatening in many different ways. The top priority to think about at this time is evacuating your home, contacting authorities and your electrical company. After this, you can then evaluate the damage and contact your insurance company to file a claim. If you suspect trees near your property of being a safety risk, contact us today at SB Tree Service. Our experienced team will help you assess the trees in your area to ensure that you have less of a chance to say the words “a tree hit my home!”