For a residential property owner, this is a phrase they hope to never have to say. Unfortunately, trees can topple over and fall onto surrounding structures, property, or even people at any time, so there is always a possibility of this disaster occurring on any kind of property. With Houston experiencing another Arctic blast of icy weather, there is a much greater risk for trees to become overburdened by the weight of precipitation and topple over. When the unthinkable happens and a tree on a residential property falls down, what can the property owner do?
A residential property owner has to act quickly when a tree topples over on their land. First, the property owner must ensure that there are no injuries to individuals, and that the fallen tree has not hit a power line or other utility line. If the fallen tree has not injured an individual or disrupted a utility line, then property owners must assess if other structural or property damage has occurred to the home, nearby structures, automobiles, or other surrounding assets. If the tree has struck a home or landed on a nearby structure, then it is best to clear out any people still inside the home or building for their own personal safety and stay clear of the building in the event it collapses or more damage occurs. Homeowners should also begin photographing the damage for insurance purposes.
For the actual removal of the fallen tree, it is absolutely critical to call emergency tree service experts for this process and not leave it to amateur, unskilled and reckless tree workers who will likely injure themselves and further damage property while attempting to remove the tree. Unfortunately, many dangerous and untrained tree workers drive around neighborhoods and city streets after severe storms or icy weather hoping to prey on frantic homeowners desperate to get fallen trees quickly removed. These amateur tree workers pose a major liability risk as can easily injure themselves removing large and heavy trees while not wearing any kind of personal protection equipment such as hard hats or goggles. Also, mom and pop tree companies are not certified to perform near utility lines or other hazardous areas, so their tree removal services can actually cause additional damage. Homeowners should always request copies of a tree service company’s Certificate of Insurance that identifies them as having liability insurance for their employees as they perform such dangerous debris removal. Legitimate tree service companies will not only have ample General Liability insurance coverage in case of injury, but also Automobile Liability Coverage for their work vehicles and Umbrella Coverage to cover any other kind of hazards or workplace accidents.
For Houstonians in need of emergency tree services, contact the tree and landscape experts of Embark Services. Embark Services offers prompt, safe and reliable emergency tree services to residential properties throughout the greater Houston area. With Houston’s recent icy weather, many trees are vulnerable to falling because of the added weight of icy precipitation, weakened and unstable root systems, or overgrown and uneven tree branches. Embark Services’s certified and trained emergency tree service crew can remove trees of any size from homes, rental properties, and other residential properties. Embark Services utilizes state-of-the-art tree service equipment as well as industry-leading and award-winning safety techniques to ensure worker and client safety, as well as minimizing the damage caused by the fallen tree. Embark Services’s Emergency Tree Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can offer reliable and prompt service to help you quickly recover from your tree emergency.
