From the edge of the yard
- Anything touching a power line or a service drop. If so, call the utility and stop. Power lines
- Trees or limbs on the roof, a wall, a car, the fence or across the driveway.
- Broken limbs still caught in a crown. They can fall without warning.
- A new lean, or soil cracked and lifted on one side of a trunk.
- Split forks and fresh cracks in large stems.
The ISA asks arborists to look at the trees that seem undamaged too, especially large ones near people or property, for exactly these signs: cracks in trunks or limbs, hanging branches and soil heaving.
Photograph before anything moves
The Texas Department of Insurance asks for photographs before the tree is moved, repairs are made or anything else is done to prevent more damage. Take wide shots and close-ups, the stump or root plate, and the inside of any room that was hit. Keep receipts for tarps and other temporary protection.
Leave the saw in the garage
The ISA names working at height, pulling tree parts off buildings or lines, and running cutting equipment as the hazards of storm cleanup, and says the work should be done by a professional arborist. Bent limbs and trunks under load are the reason.
Hiring in a busy week
After a large storm, crews come in from other places and some knock on doors. The ISA’s advice: be wary of door-to-door bargains, ask for proof of insurance and call the insurer to confirm it, and get the work in writing. Choosing a crew
Checked against the sources below on 2026-10-11.
What are the warning signs a tree may fail?