After a nor'easter blows through, not every branch on the ground needs a same-day call. A few specific situations do — here's how to tell the difference before you decide what to do next.
Storm damage covers a wide range, from a single small branch already lying flat in the yard to a split trunk leaning onto the roof. Treating all of it the same way either means waiting too long on something genuinely urgent, or paying rush pricing for something that could safely wait for a routine visit. These are the checks worth running through first.
If a downed limb or tree is touching, resting on, or tangled in a power line, treat that line as energized no matter how it looks — a line can carry a live current even if it's down and appears dead. Stay well back, keep others away from the area, and call the utility (or 911) rather than a tree service. A tree crew should not be cutting anything in contact with wires until the utility has confirmed the line is de-energized or cleared it themselves. This is the one category where the right first call isn't to us at all.
A "hanger" is a limb that broke during the storm but didn't fully come down — it's still lodged in the branches above, sometimes precariously. These get treated as urgent because they can fall with no additional wind or trigger at all, sometimes hours or days after the storm has already passed and the skies have cleared. If you can see a broken limb still hanging in a tree, keep people and vehicles clear of the area underneath it until it's been safely removed.
A tree that's now resting against a roof, wall, or fence, or a trunk that's visibly split or cracked, is a different category from a branch that already fell and is lying still. Both of those situations mean the failure may still be in progress — the tree hasn't finished falling, or the crack could progress further under its own weight or the next round of wind. This is the kind of damage that gets prioritized ahead of routine scheduling.
Not everything on the ground after a storm is an emergency. A limb that's fully detached, already resting flat on the ground, not blocking a driveway or entrance, and not resting on anything else is usually safe to leave for a routine cleanup visit if that's more convenient for your schedule. The exception is if it's blocking the only way in or out of the property — that gets bumped up in priority even if the limb itself isn't unstable.
If a tree lost a major limb or took visible damage, it's worth a look at the rest of it — crown, trunk, and the base where it meets the ground — rather than assuming the damage is limited to what's obviously broken. A tree that's still standing but has hidden cracks or a newly disturbed root base from the same storm can fail later even though the initial damage looked minor.
Free estimate, no pressure — a real person calls back, usually same day.
The utility company, not a tree service — call them or 911 and stay well clear of the area. Treat any line in contact with a tree or branch as live, even if it looks dead or the power seems to be working elsewhere on the block.
That's exactly the kind of damage we treat as urgent. A lodged, broken limb (a "hanger") can come down with no warning and no additional wind, sometimes well after the storm has passed. Keep the area underneath it clear and call us to get it prioritized.
Often, if the damage is from a covered peril like wind and it affects a structure — but coverage varies by policy, so it's worth a call to your insurer before assuming either way. We can provide photo documentation if it helps your claim.
Yes — Licensed, Bonded & Insured.