Emergency Storm Tree Removal in Joliet, IL

Emergency storm tree removal is about getting a broken tree off a house, a car or a driveway without making the damage worse. In Joliet those calls cluster around summer thunderstorms and the occasional derecho, when straight-line winds snap leaders and uproot trees in soil softened by rain. A tree lying on a roof is still under tension: limbs pressed against shingles or wedged into gutters can spring loose when cut. Taking it off safely means reading where that tension is, cutting in the right order and lifting or lowering pieces so they do not crash back onto the structure.

Why storms here hit trees hard

Northern Illinois has a long record of severe wind. During the August 2020 derecho, gusts of 60 to 70 mph crossed the region in a few afternoon hours, Illinois saw 15 weak tornadoes, and ComEd said more than 800,000 of its customers lost power. Joliet's worst day came on August 28, 1990, when the F5 Plainfield tornado cut through Crystal Lawns, Warwick and Peerless Estates and into Crest Hill. Most storm damage we see is less dramatic: a split silver maple, a broken branch hanging over a deck, a spruce tipped over with its root plate lifted out of wet clay.

What to do before we arrive

• Get people out of any room where a tree has come through the roof or a wall.
• Stay well away from fallen or sagging wires and call ComEd. Assume every downed line is live.
• Do not climb onto the roof or try to cut limbs that are under load.
• Take photos of the tree and the damage from a safe distance for your insurance company.
• Call (779) 324-4241 to leave your address, what was hit and a few photos if you can send them.

How we work a storm call

After a wide storm, we sort calls by danger. Trees on occupied houses, trees blocking the only way in or out, and trees threatening to fall further come first. Trees lying across a lawn or a back fence can wait a little. On site we look at the tree, the damage and any wires before making the first cut. Limbs resting on the roof are usually removed from the top down, with each piece tied off and lowered or lifted away. If a large trunk lies across the house, a crane may be the safest way to lift it off in sections without dragging it across the roof. Once the weight is off, we can tarp small openings to keep rain out until your roofer arrives.

Hanging limbs and split trees

Not every storm-damaged tree is on the ground. A limb broken high in the crown and caught on other branches, sometimes called a hanger, can drop without warning days later. A tree split down the middle may stand for a while and then fail in the next wind. Both are worth handling soon. Sometimes the rest of the tree can be saved with pruning; sometimes the damage goes too far into the trunk, and removal is the safer choice. We tell you which.

Insurance and paperwork

Homeowners policies often help pay to remove a tree that falls on a covered structure, such as the house or a detached garage, and coverage usually depends on what was hit and the policy itself. We give you a written, itemized invoice that describes what was removed and why, which is what most adjusters ask for. Your insurer decides what is covered.