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Hurricanes and trees: what homeowners and tree companies should do
Hurricanes bring wind, rain and flooding in one event. Soaked ground lets whole trees tip over, and the call volume that follows is huge. This page has two parts: one for homeowners, one for tree companies.
By Umair Nawaz, Lirevon. Last reviewed: October 2026. General information, not legal or insurance advice.
Where this happens and what it does to trees
In general terms, hurricanes affect the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic coast, from Texas around Florida and up to the Northeast. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs June 1 to November 30. Remnants can bring strong wind and heavy rain well inland, so trees far from the coast can be hit too. Check the National Weather Service and your county emergency office for your own area.
Hurricane damage is different from a thunderstorm. Rain softens soil for days, so roots let go and whole trees fall. Flooding blocks roads, so crews may not reach you for a while. Power can be out for a long time, which also means no phone charging and no internet for photos.
Part 1
For homeowners
Safety first
- Call 911 for anything life-threatening, such as a person trapped, a fire, or a tree on a home with people inside.
- Treat every downed line as live. Stay far back, keep children and pets away, and call 911 and your utility. Do not touch the tree, a fence or a puddle near the line.
- Do not run a chainsaw on storm-loaded trees. Bent, split or hung-up trees hold stored force and can snap or roll without warning.
- Do not climb, and do not stand under hanging limbs. Wait for a trained, insured crew.
Before the storm
Walk the yard in calm weather. Note dead limbs, leaning trees and trees close to the house or lines. Ask a licensed, insured pro about trees you worry about, early in the season, not the week of landfall. Do not hire anyone who wants to "top" a healthy tree in a rush.
Right after the storm
Stay inside until officials say it is safe. Then look from a distance only. Keep away from water that may touch downed lines. Call 911 for danger and your utility for lines.
Photos for insurance
Take wide and close photos and a short video of every damaged tree, the roof, fence, car and yard, from a safe spot on the ground. Note the date. Take photos before any cleanup. Ask your insurer what it needs; this is general information, not insurance advice.
Temporary protection
If a tree has opened your roof, a roofer or restoration company can tarp it. Keep receipts. Do not go on a damaged roof yourself.
Avoiding storm chasers
After big storms, out-of-area crews and door knockers show up. Some are honest, some are not. Be careful of anyone who demands cash up front, has no proof of insurance, will not give a written quote, or pressures you to sign today. Ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer to confirm it.
Be patient and clear
Good local crews will be booked for days or weeks. Get on a list, send your address and photos, and say if a tree is on the house or blocking the driveway. Those jobs go first.
More help for homeowners: after a storm, emergency tree service and how to hire a tree service. Lirevon does not do tree work and does not list or rank tree companies. To find local pros, find local pros on Google Maps and read their reviews. Keep your photos organized with the storm damage photo log.
Part 2
For tree companies
Storm weeks are the busiest and riskiest weeks of the year. The calls come in a rush, crews run long days, and a missed call goes to the next company on the list. Plan before the season.
Phones
Call volume can jump in a few hours and stay high for days. Set your voicemail greeting and your missed-call text with a safety line, your service area and an honest wait time. Ask for the address, a photo, and what the tree is touching. Missed-call text-back and an AI receptionist can catch calls while crews work.
Triage
Sort every lead into groups: life safety and tree on a structure with people inside, blocking a road or driveway, tree on a roof or car, yard and fence, and everything else. Work from the top. Tell the rest the real wait.
Crews and rest
Plan shifts so people rest. Tired crews make mistakes. Pair experienced climbers with newer ground crew, and have a plan for calls with no cell signal.
Safety
Hold a tailgate talk each morning. Check for lines before any cut. Stay away from lines until the utility says they are down and safe. Wear full PPE. Watch for water, nails, glass and wasps in debris. See the job site safety guide.
Pricing fairly
Prices can rise for real reasons: fuel, travel, overtime and hard rigging. They should not rise because people are desperate. Give a written estimate, explain what is in it, and keep to it. Some states have price gouging rules after declared emergencies; this is a short explanation, not legal advice, so check your state.
Out-of-town help
If you bring crews in or take outside work, check your insurance, licenses and workers comp for that state, and any local rules for storm work.
Useful pages: the storm capacity planner, the storm response checklist, the storm season guide and pricing storm work. For missed calls in a rush, see the missed calls guide, our services and pricing, or ask for a free audit.
Lirevon is new and has no tree-service clients yet, with first case studies planned for December 2026. Nothing on this page is a client result.
Common questions
When is hurricane season?
For the Atlantic, it officially runs June 1 to November 30. The Pacific has its own season. Check the National Weather Service for your area.
Why do trees fall after a hurricane?
Strong wind pushes on the crown, and heavy rain softens the soil so the roots lose their grip. A tree can look fine and still be loose.
Is it safe to cut a fallen tree myself?
Often no. Storm-loaded wood can spring, roll or split, and lines may be hidden under it. Wait for a trained, insured crew unless the tree is small, clear of lines and under no tension.
Who do I call about a downed power line?
Call 911 and your utility. Stay far back and treat the line as live, even if it looks dead.
What photos do I need for insurance?
Wide and close photos and a short video of each damaged tree and what it hit, taken before cleanup. Ask your insurer for its rules; this is not insurance advice.
How do I spot a storm chaser?
Warning signs are cash only up front, no proof of insurance, no written quote, a truck from out of the area with no local address, and pressure to sign now.
How should a tree company set storm prices?
Cover real extra cost such as fuel, travel and overtime, give a written estimate, and avoid price jumps that take advantage of people. Check your state rules on price gouging. Our storm pricing guide has a method.
How can a tree company handle the call surge?
Prepare a storm text with a safety line, triage leads by danger, use one inbox, and tell people the honest wait. The storm capacity planner helps with crew numbers.
Do my trees need a check before hurricane season?
If you have leaning, cracked or dead trees near your home, have a licensed, insured pro look at them early in the season.
This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice. See the other storm guides in the storm hub.
Be ready before the next storm
Lirevon helps tree service companies answer every call. Get a free audit, see the services or view pricing.