What happens if a tree falls on your house? Is it serious? Can you stay in your house if a tree falls on it? Professionals answer all these questions and more here, quickly and concisely.
We’re Cleaner Guys, a professional water, fire, and storm damage restoration company. We have more than 20 years of experience fixing tree strike and storm damage, and we’re here to provide professional answers to all your tree strike questions.
Table of Contents
- Top 5 Common Things That Could Happen If a Tree Falls On Your House
- What You Can Do to Prevent a Tree Falling On Your House
- What to Do If a Tree Does Fall On Your House
Top 5 Common Things That Could Happen If a Tree Falls On Your House
Many people ask “Can a tree damage my house?” Unfortunately, the answer is yes, trees can definitely damage your house. Sometimes, the tree is small enough and the house is sturdy enough that no damage occurs! But most of the time, the most common thing that will happen if a tree falls on your home will be damage of one of the kinds listed below: roof damage, plumbing damage, electrical damage, exterior damage, or structural damage.
Roof Damage
Roof damage from tree strikes is unfortunately pretty common in Western Washington State — the area Cleaner Guys services. We’re in the middle of two different tree-strike cleanup jobs right now! You can see them here and here.
When most average-sized trees fall on houses, they mainly damage the roof because the tree directly lands on it.
Sometimes, only a few shingles come off, but if the tree crushes through the roof and penetrates the house, usually repair is going to require removing and replacing a portion of the roof. This will require a roofer or a general contractor.
Plumbing Damage
When a tree penetrates a building, either through the side or the roof, it often cracks or breaks the plumbing running through the walls and ceilings. Unless the water to the house is turned off, the damaged plumbing will start leaking or gushing water, leading to water damage.
This is one of the most serious things that can happen if a tree falls on your house, because water damage can seep into all areas of the home, and if not dealt with quickly, it can cause mold growth. Mold can cause mold sickness, which can be really dangerous.
Electrical Damage
Another thing that can often happen if a fallen tree penetrates a building is damage to the electrical wires running through the walls and ceilings. This can be very dangerous because stray sparks from damaged electrical cords can start a house fire on top of the tree strike damage! Furthermore, if the tree hit plumbing and there is excess water in the property, the combination of damaged electrical cords and excess water could potentially lead to electrocution.
This is why — as you’ll read later in this article — one of the number one things we recommend you do if a tree falls on your home is getting everyone in the building out of it.
Exterior Damage
Broken or torn-off siding, brick, and other exterior materials is another common result of storm and tree damage. If you see exterior damage, observe it carefully to see how deep it goes; if the tree penetrated the siding, it may have struck plumbing or electrical wires.
Even if the exterior damage did not extend to the plumbing and electrical, if any of the siding is torn off, then the barrier between the interior of your home and the elements is likely compromised. If it rains, the water can get right in through the missing or broken siding, and cause water damage on the inside. Secure a tarp or plywood over any missing or broken siding until it can be repaired.
Structural Damage
The weight and impact of a tree landing on a building can fracture or break the wooden framing of the building. This framing is the building’s “skeleton”, and if it is damaged, it can potentially make the building unstable. This renders it unsafe to stay in, because part of it could potentially buckle or collapse! This is another reason it’s always best to vacate a storm-damaged building until you know the extent of the damage, and it’s been checked out by a professional.
What You Can Do to Prevent a Tree Falling On Your House
How do you prevent a tree from falling on your house? The easiest and most straightforward way is to remove any trees close enough to your home to fall on it. But if you don’t want to do that, or if it’s not in your budget, then the main thing you can do is keep an eye on the trees around your property, and pay attention to signs they may be sick, dead, or dying. Signs a tree may be sick or dying include:
- Visible rot, fungus, or mold growing in or on the tree
- Bark and branches falling off out of season
- Starting to lean
- No leaves or dead leaves out of season
- Damage to the roots like scarring, breaks, or damage from some kind of tool
If you see any of these signs, it’s worth calling an arborist to tell you whether you should be concerned or not. This is because if the sick tree is leaning towards your home, it could fall on it. Or, if it’s in your yard and leaning towards someone else’s property, you could be looking at a lawsuit if it falls on them.
Another sign to be concerned about is if the soil around any of the trees is loose, thin, gravelly, rocky, cracked, or shallow. If the tree is not rooted deep in firm, solid, well-packed soil, you may want to ask an arborist whether the tree is safe.
What to Do If a Tree Does Fall On Your House
The very first thing you should do if a tree falls on a building you’re in is to get everyone in the building out. The tree may have damaged power lines or electrical wires in the building, which may cause a fire or potential electrocution. The tree may also potentially have broken some plumbing, which may be contaminating the building with dirty Grey Water or Black Water (sewage water).
The second thing you should do is take as many pictures of the damage as you can, from every angle you can. This is so that when you call your insurance agency (if applicable), you can show them exactly what happened and the extent of the damage. Sometimes, insurance agencies may resist covering the damage if there is no photo evidence proving every claim of the building owner.
Who to Call
Next, call 911. Do this as early as possible — while getting the residents outside, if you can. Your first priority should be the safety of the residents, though, so if you can’t do both, get everyone out first. You need to call 911 because they need to come out and make sure that no power lines were hit, and that no one was hurt.
Next, call your insurance. Most home insurance covers tree strike and storm damage. After that, call a tree removal company. Then, if you have (safely) determined that any plumbing or electrical was damaged, call a plumber or an electrician.
Finally, you’ll need to call a storm damage restoration company, like Cleaner Guys. Your insurance company may recommend one, or you may need to do your own research (check out our guide on how to do that here). These are the professionals who will be able to repair and restore all the damage in your home back to pre-loss condition.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing a tree strike cleanup company in Western Washington State, consider Cleaner Guys as a high-quality, well-trusted option. We’re proud to boast award-winning customer service, lower prices than others, and top-notch workmanship! Contact us today through the menu at the top of your screen.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No part of this article is medical or legal advice, and may not be used as such. For all serious medical matters, consult your doctor. For all serious legal matters, consult your legal advisor. This article contains Cleaner Guys’ experience and opinions only.
