After a storm, check your trees from the ground and from a safe distance, starting with power lines and anything hanging overhead. Walk around each tree near your home, driveway and walkways, looking for broken or hanging branches, cracks in the trunk, a new lean and soil lifting at the base.
A quick, careful look can help you spot urgent problems early and decide which trees need a professional assessment. Don’t climb trees or ladders to inspect them.
Start With Safety
Before walking outside, look for downed or sagging power lines. Assume any line on the ground is energized. Stay far away and call 911 and your electric utility if lines are down or touching trees.
Wait until the wind has calmed and it’s daylight if possible. Wear sturdy shoes and watch for broken branches under your feet and overhead.
What to Look For in the Canopy
Look up into each tree for branches that are broken but still hanging, sometimes called hangers. These can fall at any time, so avoid standing under them.
Note branches that are cracked, split at the base or bent at odd angles, as well as limbs resting on the roof, gutters or other trees. Missing large sections of the canopy may point to bigger structural damage.
What to Look For on the Trunk and Roots
Check the trunk for new cracks, splits between main stems and areas where bark has been torn away. Look at the base for soil that is cracked, raised or pulled up, which can mean the roots have shifted.
Compare the tree’s position with how it looked before the storm. A new lean, especially toward the house or a driveway, is a serious warning sign.
Deciding What Happens Next
Sort what you find into urgent and non-urgent. Trees on structures, touching lines or leaning more by the hour are urgent. Broken branches in open areas, small limbs on the lawn and minor bark damage can usually wait for a scheduled visit.
Take photos of any damage for your records. They can help with insurance questions and with showing a tree service what happened.
Not every damaged tree needs to be removed. Many trees recover well after broken limbs are removed and the canopy is cleaned up. A storm damage tree service can help sort out which trees need pruning, which need monitoring and which, if any, may need to come down.
If you’re unsure what you’re looking at, a tree inspection can give you a clearer picture of each tree’s condition.
After the next big storm in Joplin, take a careful look around your yard, then contact a local tree service if you see damage you’re not sure how to handle.
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