Toledo summers bring the kind of storms that drop large trees with almost no warning. If a tree comes down on your house — or your neighbor’s — the first few minutes matter. Here’s what to do.
Step 1: Get Everyone Out of the House
If a tree has come through the roof, the structural integrity of that section of the house is unknown. Don’t go into the room directly below where the tree landed. Get your household out and stay out until someone qualified has evaluated the structure.
Step 2: Don’t Touch the Tree
Seriously. Do not go near it. A tree that fell on your roof is under tension in ways that aren’t obvious from the ground. The weight distribution across the structure can shift when you remove material. A limb that looks stable can come down without warning.
The other concern: power lines. If there’s any chance the tree has contact with, or even proximity to, overhead utility lines, treat the entire area as if it’s energized. Call Toledo Edison / FirstEnergy at 1-800-436-7734 and stay clear.
Step 3: Document Everything Before You Touch Anything
Your homeowner’s insurance claim is going to need photos. Take them now, from multiple angles:
- The tree and the point of impact on the roof
- The interior damage, if you can safely look from a doorway
- The yard, showing where the tree was rooted or from where it fell
- Any adjacent property damage
Resist the urge to start cleanup. Your adjuster needs to see the scene as it was.
Step 4: Call Your Insurance Company
Contact your homeowner’s insurance as soon as it’s safe to do so. File a claim and ask:
- Whether they want to send an adjuster before any work begins
- Whether temporary protective measures (a tarp) are covered
- What documentation they need
Understanding what’s typically covered: If the tree damaged a structure — your house, garage, fence — there’s a reasonable chance the removal and repair are at least partially covered. If the tree fell in the yard without hitting anything, most standard policies don’t cover removal costs. Review your specific policy.
Step 5: Get Emergency Tarping Done Quickly
If there’s an opening in your roof, water will get in. This is true even if the weather looks clear — it can change. Many contractors offer emergency tarping services and this is often covered under your claim as “mitigation.” Ask your insurer about this specifically.
Step 6: Call a Professional Tree Service
Once you’ve documented everything and cleared it with your insurance company, call an emergency tree removal company. For emergencies in Toledo, call us at (419) 548-5543. We handle tree-on-structure removals regularly and know how to work carefully around damaged rooflines.
This is not the time to call whoever has the cheapest ad. You need a crew experienced with rigging large trees off structures — pulling the wrong direction, or cutting at the wrong point, can cause additional structural damage.
What NOT to Do
- Don’t try to cut the tree yourself — a chainsaw in the hands of someone unfamiliar with tension cuts is genuinely dangerous. This is how serious injuries happen.
- Don’t let family or friends help without proper equipment and training — same reason.
- Don’t throw material off the roof — if the tree has gone through, there may be debris and compromised ceiling below.
- Don’t delay calling your insurer — most policies have reporting requirements that, if missed, can affect your claim.
If a tree has come down on your property and you need emergency tree removal in Toledo or the surrounding area, call Glass City Tree Service at (419) 548-5543. We respond to real emergencies and will help you through the documentation process.