Clear the struck area
Everyone leaves the part of the house the tree hit, and no one goes back in to get anything. Whatever is under the point of impact will wait.
A tree on a building is not a roofing emergency like the others. Several trades follow one another, and the roofer comes almost last.
Three dangers to keep at a distance
- Wires. If the tree has caught or torn down wires, stay away. Treat a wire on the ground as if it were live.
- Gas. At the slightest smell, get out without touching a switch.
- The trunk and branches. Do not cut anything, do not pull on anything. The tree rests in a shaky balance on the roof, and it can roll or tip as soon as weight is taken off it.
Photos, from a distance
While you wait for emergency services or the companies, photograph the scene from a safe distance and from several sides. Frame the tree as it fell, the spot where it hit, and the stump or the breaking point. Once the trunk has been cut up, it will be too late for these pictures.
The calls, one after the other
- 911 in case of injury, downed wires, a smell of gas or any doubt about the soundness of the building. Firefighters make the site safe.
- The electricity distributor when the house's service connection or the street wires are affected. Until the power is made safe, no one should work around the tree.
- The insurer. Reach your insurer quickly, before incurring any expenses, and ask what steps to follow. For removing the tree as for the repairs, the insurer is the one who can say what your policy provides.
- An arborist company. Clearing a tree resting on a house is a trade of its own. The work is often done in sections, or with a crane.
- A roofer. Once the tree is gone, we close the opening temporarily, then assess the damage.
What the impact may have broken
The hole in the roof covering is the visible part. The impact of a tree is violent, and most of the damage is often underneath.
The roof deck first: the boards or panels that carry the covering may be split well beyond the edge of the hole.
Then the framing: a cracked rafter or roof truss, or one knocked out of place, no longer carries the load it was designed for. A damaged truss is not repaired by eye.
We can see the roof deck and the top of the framing, no more. As soon as a load-bearing member is broken or displaced, consulting a structural engineer is strongly recommended before the roof is closed. A new covering on weakened framing leaves the whole problem in place.
Frequently asked questions
It is the neighbour's tree. Is it up to the neighbour to pay?
Liability depends on the circumstances, and it is not settled between neighbours in front of the damage. Raise the question when you speak with your insurer. Take down the neighbour's contact information and take your photos before the tree is removed.
Can I at least remove a few branches to clear things?
No, do not cut any branch. As soon as a saw touches it, a tree resting on a house shifts without warning, and its bent branches spring back like springs. This work belongs to a company that has the equipment and the insurance to do it.
It was only a branch. Should it still be checked?
Yes, have the roof checked even after a single branch has fallen. A branch can pierce a shingle or a membrane without anything showing from the ground. Have us look at the spot, and keep an eye on the ceiling below it during the next rains.