A cracking sound, then a heavy thud through the walls. When a tree falls on your house, panic is natural, but what you do in the next hour decides how bad the damage gets. At Tarzan Tree Removal, these are the calls we answer at 2 a.m. during nor'easters and summer thunderstorms. This guide walks you through the same advice we give Brooklyn homeowners on the phone.
Work in this order: people, utilities, documentation, insurance, then the tree itself. If you are reading this while a trunk is resting on your roof, call our emergency tree service line at (347) 833-5862 right now. The rest of this guide will still be here.
Step 1: Get Everyone Out Safely
Your first job is getting people and pets away from the impact zone. A tree that has fallen on a house can shift, and ceilings under that weight can drop without warning. Leave through a door on the opposite side of the house from the tree if you can.
Do not go back inside for phones, documents, or valuables. Falling debris and unstable structure make re-entry dangerous until a professional checks the building. If anyone cannot exit, go to the room farthest from the impact and wait for help.
- Leave through a door away from the fallen tree
- Keep children and pets clear of the impact zone
- Do not light matches or flip switches if you smell gas
- Listen for ceiling sagging or cracking sounds near the hit
Step 2: Call 911 for Power Lines and Gas Leaks
Look before you move. If the tree brought down power lines, the ground around it can be energized. Stay at least 30 feet away and call 911 immediately. In NYC, Con Edison cuts power to the block before anyone approaches.
The same rule applies to gas leaks. If you smell rotten eggs, hear hissing, or see dust blowing from a broken gas line, get everyone farther away and dial 911 from outside the house. Weather that drops trees often drops wires too, and live lines near a damaged home are the deadliest part of the whole event.
One Brooklyn-specific note: if a city-owned street tree fell, report it to 311. NYC Parks handles street trees, but anything standing on private property is the owner's responsibility.
Step 3: Document the Damage Before Cleanup Starts
Once the scene is safe, pull out your phone. Photograph the fallen tree from several angles, the roof damage, water dripping into rooms, cracked walls, and anything the impact crushed, like fences, cars, or sheds. Wide shots first, then close-ups.
This record is what your insurance claim runs on. Adjusters rarely argue with clear, timestamped photos, and the documentation protects you if the structural damage turns out worse than it looked on day one. Note the time the tree fell, the weather that moment, and any neighbors who saw it happen.
Step 4: Call Your Insurance Company
Most homeowners policies cover a fallen tree that damages a house or structure, whether the tree stood on your property or a neighbor's. Call your insurer the same day to open a claim. Have your photos and a rough damage list ready when you dial.
What Insurance Usually Covers
- Structural damage to the roof, walls, and foundation
- Water damage from holes the tree opened in the roof
- Tree removal costs when a covered structure was hit
- Detached structures like garages, sheds, and fences
What Insurance Usually Does Not Cover
If the tree missed every structure and landed harmlessly in the yard, removal is typically your cost, because there is no covered damage to pay for. The same applies if the tree was clearly dead and neglected for years. Insurers sometimes push back on trees an arborist had already flagged as hazards, which is one more reason to remove dying trees before they choose their own landing spot.
Ask about temporary housing too. If the home is unsafe, many policies include loss-of-use coverage for a hotel.
Step 5: Prevent Further Damage to Your Home
A hole in the roof is an open invitation to the next rainstorm. Water damage compounds fast, soaking insulation, warping floors, and feeding mold inside walls. If it is safe to reach, cover openings with a tarp and plywood, and move electronics and rugs out of wet rooms.
Your insurer expects reasonable efforts to prevent additional damage, and temporary repairs are usually reimbursable. Keep every receipt.
Step 6: Hire an Emergency Tree Removal Service
Do not cut the tree yourself. A trunk pinning a roof is under enormous tension, and a chainsaw cut in the wrong spot releases that weight suddenly, collapsing the ceiling or flipping the section onto whoever is standing there. Emergency removal is technical work, not a weekend project.
A professional tree removal crew brings cranes, rigging, and the experience to lift sections off a roof without adding to the structural damage. In Brooklyn, where brownstones and row houses sit inches apart, rigging matters even more. Our crane crews lift fallen trees over rooftops in spaces a bucket truck could never enter, and our stump removal team grinds what is left so the yard is safe again.
Who Pays If a Neighbor's Tree Falls on Your House?
Almost always, your own insurance, not your neighbor's. If the tree was alive and a storm knocked it onto your roof, your own policy pays for the damage. You could only pursue the neighbor if the tree was visibly dead or diseased and you had warned them in writing, which turns neglect into liability.
The wood itself is a separate question. When a tree falls from their yard onto yours, most insurers treat it as joint debris and negotiate the removal split. File with your own insurer immediately instead of waiting out a dispute.
Why Brooklyn Homeowners Call Tarzan Tree Removal
We started this company cleaning up downed trees after Hurricane Sandy, and fallen-tree emergencies are still the calls we treat as top priority. Our crew includes certified arborists, we are licensed and insured, and we answer the phone 24 hours a day at (347) 833-5862.
- 24/7 emergency response across Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island
- Crane removal for tight lots and row houses
- Free estimates and transparent pricing
- Insurance coordination - we work directly with your adjuster
Once the emergency is over, our tree trimming and arborist teams can deal with the leaning trees still standing on your block before the next storm turns them into a second emergency. A free inspection beats a roof repair every time.