Storm damage tree removal in Monroe, LA
When wind, ice or waterlogged ground brings a tree down, the order you do things in matters. Here's what to do first.
Northeast Louisiana gets spring tornado outbreaks, summer thunderstorms and the occasional winter ice storm. The April 12, 2020 EF3 tornado alone snapped hundreds of trees in Brownsville-Bawcomville before it crossed into Monroe. Weak-wooded water oaks and pines already stressed by drought or beetles tend to be the first to fail.
What should I do first?
- Look for power lines. If a tree or limb is touching a line, stay back and report it to your electric utility. Louisiana law keeps unauthorized people and equipment at least 10 feet from high-voltage lines until the line owner has made arrangements.
- Get people clear. If a tree is on the house, keep everyone out of the rooms underneath it.
- Document it. Take photos of the tree, the roof and anything else damaged before it's moved.
- Call your insurer. Ask how they want the removal and debris handled.
- Call a licensed tree service. A tree resting on a roof can shift as it's cut, so this is rigging work for a trained crew.
Watch out for door knockers
After big storms, out-of-state crews show up offering to cut. The LSU AgCenter says an out-of-state license doesn't count in Louisiana. Those crews can clear debris that has already fallen onto your house, driveway or lawn, but standing trees and limbs still attached to standing trees need a Louisiana-licensed arborist. Ask to see the license and a certificate of insurance before agreeing to anything.
What's usually involved?
- Lifting trees and limbs off roofs, cars and fences
- Cutting down hangers, broken limbs caught up in the canopy
- Taking down trees that were split or uprooted but are still standing
- Clearing driveways and chipping the brush
- Grinding stumps of uprooted trees once the yard dries out
Leaning after heavy rain?
When Monroe's soils are saturated, as they were after the March 2016 floods, a tree can start to tip without any wind. A new lean with cracked or heaving soil on one side is a reason to get it looked at the same week.
The tree company sets the price after it sees the tree, what's underneath it and how a truck or lift can reach it. We don't quote prices, and any figure you get over the phone before a visit is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Will my homeowners insurance pay to remove a fallen tree?
It depends on your policy and what the tree hit. Call your insurer before the tree is moved if you can, and take photos first.
Can an out-of-state crew cut a tree on my property in Louisiana?
Not a standing one. The LSU AgCenter says out-of-state crews can clear debris that has already fallen, but standing trees need a Louisiana-licensed arborist.
Related services
More background: Monroe, Louisiana tree removal guide.
Water oak on the roof, a dead pine by the drive or a stump in the yard?
Call and get connected with a local tree service that can come look at it.