If you’ve maintained your trees, monitored them for diseases and weakness, and trimmed them when necessary, it’s unlikely that a large limb (or a whole tree) will fall onto your home. But because it can happen to anyone, keep this checklist handy just in case. If a tree does damage your home, you’ll know how to proceed.

Get out of the house. Avoiding the area of the home where the tree fell, exit your home calmly and stay out until professionals have assessed the situation. In some cases the structure will be weakened, and the tree could continue falling through. Staying out of the home will prevent injuries.

If electric lines are involved, call 911. Downed power lines are a major fire and electrocution hazard, so you need to notify the appropriate authorities right away.

Then, call your electric company. The electric company will send someone out to turn off power to your home, and repair the lines.

Turn off your gas service and call the gas company. You can skip this step if only a limb fell. But if an entire tree was uprooted, it could have damaged a gas line.

Take photos. Take photos of the damaged areas, but only enter the home after it has been declared safe to do so. For photos of the roof, ask your roofing professional to take care of that step. There is no need to endanger yourself by attempting to climb onto the roof to document the damage. You don’t want to proceed with tree removal until you’re certain that all necessary evidence has been collected.

Call your homeowner’s insurance company. They can tell you  how to proceed with filing a claim. Follow their instructions precisely, to prevent unnecessary delays.

Call a professional tree removal service. We can help you get the tree off of your home, and dispose of it safely. After this step is completed, you might need to consult with a building contractor if your home has sustained structural damage.