A Tree Just Fell on Your House — Here's Exactly What to Do Next

Stay Calm — And Read This Before You Touch Anything

The wind stopped. The crack was deafening. You looked up and realized a tree is now sitting on your house.

Your heart is pounding and every instinct is telling you to run outside and start pulling branches. Stop. The next few minutes matter more than almost anything else you'll do, and the wrong move can turn a property emergency into a life-threatening one.

I'm Marcus Cedar, ISA Certified Arborist #OH-9912A and owner of Cedar & Oak Tree Co. in Columbus. My crews respond to tree-on-house emergencies around the clock. Here is the action plan I'd give my own family.

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Step 1: Get Everyone Out of the Affected Area — Right Now

Before anything else, account for every person and pet in your home.

• Move everyone away from the impact zone — at minimum the room directly below or adjacent to where the tree hit.
• If you smell gas, do not flip any light switches. Leave the front door open behind you and get everyone outside immediately.
• Do not go into the attic or climb onto the roof to assess damage. The tree may have weakened joists or the roof deck. Secondary collapse is a real risk.
• Check for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call 911 before anything else on this list.

Once everyone is accounted for and out of immediate danger, you can take the next steps.

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Step 2: Treat Every Downed or Contacted Power Line as Live

This is not a drill.

CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING: If the fallen tree is touching or has snapped a power line — or if any line is down anywhere near the impact zone — treat it as energized and lethal. Stay at least 30 feet back from the tree, the line, and any wet ground near it. Do not touch the tree, the roof, gutters, or any metal on the exterior of your home. Call 911 and AEP Ohio at 1-800-672-2231 immediately. Do not attempt to move the tree or the line yourself under any circumstances.

Emergency responders and the utility company must clear the line before any tree work can happen. No reputable crew will touch a tree that's contacting an active line without utility clearance. This is the single most dangerous part of a tree-on-house event.

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Step 3: Shut Off Utilities If You Can Do So Safely

If there is no power line involvement and you can safely access your utility shutoffs from outside the impacted area:

• Gas: Turn off at the exterior meter with a wrench. If you're not sure where it is or you smell gas at all, call your gas company and let them handle it.
• Water: A tree through a roof can rupture pipes. Shut off the main valve to limit water damage to the interior.
• Electricity: Only shut the main breaker if you can reach the panel without passing under the damaged area.

When in doubt, leave it and let a professional handle it. You can replace drywall — you cannot replace yourself.

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Step 4: Document Everything Before Anyone Touches the Tree

Your insurance adjuster will want evidence of the damage as it happened — not after a crew has moved debris.

• Photograph from the outside — get wide shots of the full tree position on the roof, then closer shots of the entry points.
• Photograph from inside — ceiling damage, fallen plaster, broken windows, damaged furniture. Do this only from rooms that are clearly structurally unaffected.
• Save your photos with timestamps and upload them to cloud storage or email them to yourself right away.

Call your homeowner's insurance company to open a claim. Most policies cover emergency tree removal when the tree damages a covered structure. Cedar & Oak provides a detailed written report with photos and measurements for your adjuster — included on every job.

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Step 5: Cover the Opening Only If It Is Safe to Do So

If rain is threatening and you need to protect your interior, a tarp over the breach is worthwhile — but only on these conditions:

• You can access the roof from a safe, undamaged section.
• No power lines are involved.
• The tree is not actively shifting or unstable.

If there is any doubt about access or stability, skip the tarp. Contents damage is recoverable. A fall from a wet, debris-covered roof is not.

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Step 6: Call a Licensed, Insured Emergency Tree Service — Not a Door-Knocker

After a major storm, Columbus gets flooded with storm chasers — people who go door to door with a chainsaw in their truck and a handshake deal. Some are fine. Many are not licensed, not insured, and will disappear the moment something goes wrong or you try to dispute an inflated bill.

What to verify before anyone starts work:

• State tree care license and general liability insurance (ask for the certificate of insurance, not just a verbal).
• ISA Certified Arborist credential — matters for proper rigging and structural assessment.
• A written estimate before any work begins.
• No demand for full cash payment upfront.

Scam alert: Post-storm scammers target neighborhoods that just took damage. They knock on doors, quote a low number, then add fees once the tree is partially down and you feel trapped. If someone demands full payment in cash before the job is complete, that is your signal to stop. A legitimate company will invoice you after the work is done — or at minimum take a reasonable deposit with a signed contract.

Cedar & Oak is fully licensed and insured in Ohio. We work directly with AEP and most major carriers and will provide your adjuster all documentation they need.

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What Happens When Cedar & Oak Responds

When you call (555) 234-9100, a live person answers — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. No answering services, no hold queues.

For active hazards in the Columbus metro, we target on-site response within approximately 2 hours. We coordinate directly with AEP on line-clearance sequencing and will contact your insurance carrier on your behalf if you'd like.

Our process on arrival:

• Hazard assessment first. We evaluate structural integrity, line proximity, and fall zone before any cutting starts.
• Controlled sectional removal. We don't just run a saw — we rig and lower sections to prevent additional roof or wall damage.
• Photo documentation for your insurance claim, included at no extra charge.
• Tarp and temporary boarding to secure the opening until permanent repairs can be made.

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Quick Reference: Who to Call When a Tree Hits Your House

• Injuries or immediate danger: 911
• Power line down or tree on line: 911, then AEP Ohio at 1-800-672-2231
• Gas leak: Your gas provider, then 911
• Emergency tree removal in Columbus: Cedar & Oak Tree Co., (555) 234-9100 — 24/7 live answer
• Your insurance company: Open a claim as soon as everyone is safe

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We're Here When It Matters Most

A tree on your house is one of the most stressful things a homeowner can face. The damage almost always looks worse than it is, and the situation is recoverable — if you take the right steps in order.

If you're in Columbus and need help right now, call us. If you'd like to talk through your situation first, that conversation is free.

Book your free quote or call (555) 234-9100 — we answer 24/7, because emergencies don't wait for business hours.