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What to do if…
a tree falls onto your home or damages the roof

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Move everyone and all pets away from the damaged part of the home. Leave by a safe route if possible, and call 911 from a safe place if anyone is injured or there is fire, a suspected gas leak, a dangerous downed power line, or an immediate risk of collapse.

Do not do these things

  • Do not stand beneath the tree, damaged roof, sagging ceiling, or hanging branches.
  • Do not touch a fallen power line, the tree, or anything else that may be touching the line.
  • Do not enter standing water near damaged electrical equipment or downed lines.
  • Do not climb onto the roof or attempt to cut, lift, or remove the tree yourself.
  • Do not re-enter a visibly damaged area merely because the outside looks stable.
  • Do not use flames, phones, vehicles, or electrical switches near the property if you smell gas or hear hissing.
  • Avoid signing repair contracts or assignments of insurance benefits that you do not understand while under pressure.

What to do now

  1. Move people and pets away from rooms beneath or beside the impact. Leave by a route that does not pass under damaged ceilings, hanging branches, the tree, or power lines. If no exit appears safe, stay away from the impact area and call 911.
  2. Check for injuries without entering an unstable area. Call 911 for an injury, fire, a gas odor or hissing sound, a downed line creating immediate danger, or signs that part of the home may collapse.
  3. If you smell gas or hear hissing, leave immediately without operating switches or creating a flame or spark. Move well away from the property before calling 911 and the gas utility.
  4. Treat every fallen wire as energized. Keep people and pets away from the line, the tree, nearby objects, and any water around them. Report the line to 911 and the electric utility from a safe location.
  5. Look at the home only from safe ground and a safe distance. A sagging roofline or ceiling, shifted wall, missing support, cracked foundation, loose power line, or damaged gas equipment may indicate that entry is unsafe.
  6. Do not re-enter visibly damaged areas until local emergency personnel, a building official, or an appropriate qualified professional has advised that entry is safe.
  7. Contact your homeowners or renters insurance company or agent once immediate hazards are addressed. Ask how to open a claim, what documentation it needs, and whether your policy may cover temporary housing or other additional living expenses.
  8. Photograph or record visible damage only from a safe location. Note the approximate time, affected rooms, damaged belongings, and any emergency work performed.
  9. Ask the insurer about its inspection and documentation procedures before debris is moved when practical. Do not delay emergency work needed to protect people or prevent further damage, and use qualified tree-removal and building professionals rather than attempting the work yourself.
  10. Keep receipts for temporary lodging, emergency protective work, transportation, and other additional costs. Keep copies of estimates, contracts, claim messages, and photographs.
  11. If you rent, notify the landlord or property manager promptly after addressing immediate danger. Describe the damage in writing and ask where you should stay if the home cannot be safely occupied.

What can wait

You do not need to decide today who owns the tree, who may be responsible, which permanent contractor to hire, what roofing materials to use, or whether every damaged item must be replaced. Detailed inventories, permanent repairs, insurance disagreements, and questions about fault can wait until the immediate hazards are controlled.

Important reassurance

A tree impact can make part or all of a home unsafe even when the damage appears limited. For now, focus only on getting people to a safe place, avoiding the damaged area and utilities, contacting emergency help when needed, notifying the insurer or landlord, and recording what you can safely see.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps after a tree strikes a home or roof. Tree removal, structural inspections, permanent repairs, insurance disputes, responsibility for the tree, and rebuilding decisions may require qualified contractors, engineers, insurance professionals, local officials, or legal advice later.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, insurance, construction, electrical, arboricultural, or other professional advice. Insurance coverage, contractor requirements, property responsibility, and emergency procedures vary by policy, state, and locality. Follow instructions from emergency services, utility providers, building officials, your insurer, and qualified professionals.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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