Home emergency playbook
Tree or large limb on the house
Conservative first steps for homeowners before cleanup, repair, or contractor dispatch. When safety is uncertain, leave and call first.
Immediate steps
- Evacuate everyone from the affected area and call 911 from a safe location before cleanup or repair.
- Stay out of rooms below the trunk or limb, even if the ceiling has not opened.
- Report any downed wire, gas odor, broken chimney, or cracked wall to dispatch.
- Wait for responders or a qualified tree crew before moving branches, tarps, or furniture under the load.
Do not do this
- Do not re-enter the building until emergency responders or the utility says it is safe.
- Do not cut limbs that are resting on the roof, wires, gutters, or walls.
- Do not stand under a suspended branch to photograph or retrieve belongings.
Who to call
- Call 911 first for immediate danger, injury, fire, smoke, shock, collapse risk, or trapped people.
- Call the utility emergency line before private repair when gas, electric service, public water, sewer main, or buried lines may be involved.
- Call tree service after emergency responders and utilities clear wires, collapse risk, and access hazards.
Damage mitigation
- After clearance, photograph all impact points, roof openings, broken rafters, interior cracks, and water entry.
- Use a tree service with rigging or crane capability before a roofer or contractor patches the structure.
- Move contents from adjacent dry rooms if rain can enter after branches are lifted.
Prevention
- Have hazardous limbs over roofs, service drops, and chimneys evaluated by an arborist.
- Remove deadwood and trees with root heave, trunk cavities, or storm cracks before high-wind season.
- Keep insurance photos of large trees near the house updated after pruning or storms.
Typical cost band
Usually high to very high because stabilization, engineering, demolition, and rebuild may all be required.
Insurance note
Tree impact claims usually need photos before removal, the tree crew invoice, and separate estimates for roof, framing, interior, and contents damage.
Related ProFix resources
Tree Service emergency guideTrade-specific dispatch, utility-first, and after-hours cost guidance.Troubleshooting encyclopediaSymptoms, maintenance intervals, contracts, and warranty norms.National FAQHiring, licensing, scams, permits, and DIY boundaries.Cost calculatorPlan the permanent repair after the emergency is controlled.