Storm damage clean-up in Weston CT involved removing several downed trees from the roof of a house and a car.

So the phone started ringing late Saturday night in the middle of the storm. We rounded up the troops and headed south with a three truck convoy. It was amazing driving down Route 57 when half way through Weston we started to see more and more trees down and then we arrived at the Westport border where it was like a war zone with trees, power lines and telephone poles everywhere. Every third road was closed and the GPS really got a work out trying to get us to our clients house who had a 4o inch diameter cherry tree that came through their roof, it took 45 minutes to go 2 miles with about 7 u-turns but we got there.  

After we removed the large uprooted tree off of the roof  and tied down a tarp so as to stop the waterfall in the kitchen it was on to all the neighbors who had approached us to help them out. Since that day we have been removing trees and storm damage debris full time every day across Westport and Wilton. Tomorrow we are headed to Stamford to remove downed trees at a condo complex and remove a pine that’s leaning on a house then back to Westport and Weston to continue cleaning up of storm damage through the weekend.

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Winter browning or winter burn of conifer (evergreen) shrubs and small trees around the house is best prevented by making sure the roots have adequate water late in the season. The browning, called desiccation, results from wind removing more moisture from the needles than can be replaced.  

 Browning or bleaching of evergreen foliage during winter occurs for four reasons:

1. Winter sun and wind cause excessive transpiration (foliage water loss) while the roots are in frozen soil and unable to replace lost water. This results in desiccation and browning of the plant tissue.
2. Bright sunny days during the winter also cause warming of the tissue above ambient temperature which in turn initiates cellular activity. Then, when the sun is quickly shaded, foliage temperature drops to injurious levels and the foliage is injured or killed.
3. During bright, cold winter days, chlorophyll in the foliage is destroyed (photo-oxidized) and is not resynthesized when temperatures are below 28° F. This results in a bleaching of the foliage.
4. Cold temperatures early in the fall before plants have hardened off completely or late spring after new growth has occurred can result in injury or death of this nonacclimated tissue.

Foliar damage normally occurs on the south, southwest, and windward sides of the plant, but in severe cases the whole plant may be affected. Yew, arborvitae, and hemlock are most susceptible, but winter browning can affect all evergreens. New transplants or plants with succulent, late season growth are particularly sensitive.

There are several ways to minimize winter injury to evergreens. The first is proper placement of evergreens in the landscape. Yew, hemlock, and arborvitae should not be planted on south or southwest sides of buildings or in highly exposed (windy, sunny) places. A second way to reduce damage is to prop pine boughs or Christmas tree greens against or over evergreens to protect them from wind and sun and to catch more snow for natural protection.

Winter injury can often be prevented by constructing a barrier of burlap or similar material on the south, southwest, and windward sides of evergreens. If a plant has exhibited injury on all sides, surround it with a barrier, but leave the top open to allow for some air and light penetration. This will also help keep the deer away from their midnight snacking when winter food gets scarce.

At Barts Tree Service we are asked all the time about general liability of a tree falling as a result of a storm and who pays for damages and removing the tree. So I thought I would put up a direct excerpt from the Connecticut Insurance Department website that helps answer that qustion.

Inquiry: If my tree is blown over by the wind and damages my neighbor’s property, does my policy pay to fix the damage? What if the tree damages my house? What if the tree is blown over but no structure is damaged?

Answer: The policy does not automatically pay for the neighbor’s property. The neighbor should file a claim with his own insurer. If the owner of the tree is sued by his neighbor, the liability section of the homeowners policy will respond with defense coverage, and payment if the owner is found negligent. This is where the “Act of God” phrase applies. The tree owner is legally liable for the damage only if his negligence caused the tree to fall. Otherwise, it is an “Act of God” which would be covered under the neighbor’s Section I Property Coverage of the homeowners policy.If the tree falls on your own house, damage to the house is covered. The insurance policy covers the cost to remove the tree from the house. Generally, the cost to remove the tree from the premises is covered up to $500 so long as the tree damaged a covered structure
 

Contact Barts Tree Service for any emergancy tree removals or insurance quotes you might need.

Reference: Connecticut Insurance Department Website – Homeowners Storm Claims

Ash tree that fell on a roof during a windstorm in Danbury causing significant roof damage.

It is a fact, hazardous weather conditions can cause trees to fall and create extremely dangerous situations. For this reason, dying trees that cannot be saved or dead trees in close proximity to residential properties should be removed before a windy storm can potentially knock them down. Every year, a significant number of trees fall on houses, automobiles, buildings, structures, power lines, etc. Barts Tree Service of Danbury CT is highly specialized for this very type of tree removal service. 

Barts Tree Service performs many tree removals that fall during these dangerous conditions each year. Many homeowners who face the unfortunate occurrence of a tree that has fallen and damaged their property are frantic and unaware of what to do. They think, hmm;


 

1. Should I call my insurance company? Is this covered by my insurance company?
2. Is this my neighbor’s tree or my own?
3. If my tree falls into my neighbor’s yard, am I responsible and liable for the damage?
4. What about damage to my own property – am I covered?
5. Is a local tree service available immediately to remove the large Oak tree that fell on my house?
6. How long will it take to fix the whole in my roof?
7. Who is responsible for fixing the whole in my roof, and at whose expense?

These are all very good and common questions that arise during an emergency tree removal situation. In most cases it is the insurance company that will be responsible for footing the bill for these expenses. Some local reputable tree companies are on the insurance companies list for handling emergency tree removal.  In many situations, a homeowner will call their insurance company and the insurance company will provide the name of a local tree service to handle the emergency tree removal. If a tree falls through a house, the job is usually performed within hours of the occurrence, unless it is pouring down rain at 3am when it is dark outside. In that case, a tarp is usually put on the home, an estimate will be completed during this time, and the emergency tree job will be completed when the sun rises that morning. There are many emergency tree removal scenarios, and local tree removal companies are immediately available for the customer.

To perform emergency tree work, the appropriate skills are critical. Barts Tree Service has the skills and manpower to complete these emergency tree removals in a timely and efficient manner. There has been many times when large storms sweep through Connecticut and New York  and cause major tree damage by way of wind, rain, ice or snow. During these times, it is often that local tree companies refer homeowners to Barts Tree Service to handle these emergency jobs.  It is a fact that tree care is the 2nd most dangerous industry in the world. Hiring a licensed bonded, and insured professional service tree service is an absolute necessity. Lives are lost, and major injuries occur every day in the tree service business.

Tree that fell on a church roof during a windstorm in Danbury

Tree being removed from church roof

As much as we all love nature and the rustic look of a lush, tree-filled yard, trees can present a hazard to property if left to grow unfettered. Trees are like grass. They need to be trimmed periodically. They also need to be maintained for their health and your safety. An overgrown tree is more susceptible to weather breakage and disease. A professional tree trimmer can go a long way to maintaining a healthy, safe outdoor environment.

The fact is that trees growing in the wild drop branches, split or fall all the time. It is perfectly natural. But as we have moved into the environment and surrounded ourselves with nature, we are walking a fine line between allowing nature to take its course and curtailing it for our own use. A large bough falling from a tree can destroy a home or a car, or worse, it can cause injury or even death. So tree trimming is an essential maintenance task that all homeowners should practice.

Tree trimming is a dangerous task and should only be undertaken by an expert. Your local tree expert will climb high into the boughs of the tree and selectively cut branches to remove rubbing and damaged branches. The tree will be revitalized and will continue to grow even healthier than before. This is especially important for trees growing in close proximity to homes and other structures. Keeping your trees strong and healthy can protect you from potential property damage or worse.

All trees growing near your home should be regularly inspected for disease. Your professional tree expert can check your trees for hollow or rotten trunks or other major problems that can create an imminent hazard. Once identified, the offending tree should be removed immediately. Tree cutting, like tree trimming, is highly specialized and dangerous work and should only be performed by a professional. Once the tree is cut to the ground level, a stump grinder can be used to remove the stump, allowing for a smooth yard to fill the space once occupied by the tree.

As an added bonus, and to make the destruction of the tree a bit more economical and environmental, the entire tree can be ground into mulch for use in your landscaping endeavors. Some trees can also be recycled as firewood, for those with working fireplaces or wood-burning stoves or furnaces. Other woods, like apple tree wood for example, make excellent additions to barbeque grills. Always try to make use of the tree you were forced to remove.

Our need to surround ourselves with elements of the natural world grows ever more important. In the future, the only place we might find living trees could be in our own front yards. Therefore, the need for tree maintenance is greater than ever. Keep your trees healthy and your environment safe. Keep your trees trimmed.