Get everyone out of the damaged part of the house, stay away from any downed wires, then call a tree service and your insurance company. Don’t try to cut the tree off yourself. A tree on a roof is under tension and can shift without warning. If anyone is hurt, or you smell gas or see fire, call 911 first.
Need this done? See emergency Tree Service in Columbia, SC or call (803) 555-0142.
What do you do in the first few minutes?
- Check on people and pets. Account for everyone. Call 911 for any injury.
- Get out of the damaged rooms. If the roof or ceiling is compromised, move to another part of the house or outside.
- Stay away from wires. Treat every wire on or near the tree as live, even if it looks dead. Don’t touch the tree or anything touching it. Keep people and pets back. Call the power company to report the line.
- Smell for gas. If you smell gas, leave the house and call from outside.
- Shut off what you can safely. If water is pouring in from a broken pipe and the shutoff is nowhere near the tree, turn it off. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t.
What should you photograph?
Before anything is moved, take photos and a short video, if it’s safe to do so.
- The whole tree, from several sides
- Where it hit and how big the damage is
- Anything else that’s damaged: fences, cars, gutters, the yard
- The stump or root ball, to show where it came from
- Wires, if any are down (from a safe distance)
Photos and the date and time help your insurance claim. Keep every receipt from here on.
Who do you call, and in what order?
- 911 if there’s an injury, fire or gas.
- The power company if a wire is involved.
- A tree service that handles storm damage. Tell them where the tree is, what it hit and whether anyone can get to it. See our emergency tree service page.
- Your insurance company. Report the claim as soon as you can. You don’t have to wait for the tree to be gone.
Why not cut it yourself?
A tree resting on a roof is holding a lot of weight. The branches and trunk may be braced against the house in ways you can’t see. Cut the wrong piece and the rest can roll, drop through the roof or kick back. Chainsaw injuries are serious, and this is exactly the situation where they happen. Leave it to a crew with the right gear and training.
How does a crew remove the tree?
They look first. Then they plan the order of cuts, starting at the top and the far ends so the weight comes off evenly. Pieces are lowered with ropes or lifted off with a crane or lift, not dragged across the roof. Once the tree is off, the crew clears the debris.
What about the hole in the roof?
A hole lets rain in. Ask if the crew can cover it with a tarp before they leave. If not, call a roofer for emergency tarping. Insurers expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent more damage, and the tarp cost usually goes on the claim. Keep the receipt.
What if the tree is your neighbor’s?
The steps are the same: safety first, photos, call a tree service and your insurer. Who pays depends on your policy and the facts. We explain the usual rules in our guide to whether homeowners insurance covers tree removal in South Carolina.
Why do trees come down in Columbia storms?
Wind is only part of it. Wet ground is the other. When Tropical Storm Helene came through in September 2024, heavy rain had already soaked the soil, and the National Weather Service recorded a 67 mph gust at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. That combination pulled trees out by the roots, and about 162,000 Dominion customers in the Columbia area lost power overnight. Hurricane Hugo did the same across the Midlands in 1989. Tall pines and big oaks, the common trees here, go over most easily when the ground is soft.
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so late summer and fall are the time to have dead and leaning trees looked at, before the next storm does it for you.
Tree down right now?
Call. Tell us where the tree is, what it hit and whether anyone is hurt. We’ll tell you what happens next.
Need help with this?
See our emergency Tree Service page for how it works and typical prices, or call (803) 555-0142 and tell us what you’re looking at.