A big storm is moving through Virginia Beach late at night. A big oak tree smashes through a homeowner’s fence, just missing the side of the house, while the wind blows around the neighborhood and before sunrise, someone reports a house on fire in the neighborhood. The roots root out from the ground, the trunk branches apart and the debris clogs the driveway. This is the moment when someone needs to call for emergency tree removal services and it’s now.
Emergency tree removal is not a one off job you want to do sometime on a nice weekend. It’s a quick, safe, first action response to a situation that could endanger your property, family, neighbors and more. If no one is able or willing to deal with the fallen trees, cracked trunks, storm damaged limbs and uprooted root systems, it can cause serious damage in just a few hours.
When a tree emergency occurs, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton and Portsmouth residents can count on True Gen Tree Service to know what to do. Our staff arrives quickly, is safe to work and leaves your property clean and secured. In this guide, we will explain what emergency tree removal is, when it’s necessary, how it works, the cost, and the importance of hiring the right team for the job.
What Is Emergency Tree Removal?
Emergency Tree Removal is the removal of a tree or a portion of a tree that is threatening to cause harm to persons or property. Emergency tree removal requires immediate action, unlike regular tree removal where homeowners can make plans and make an appointment weeks in advance. Things don’t wait and neither should you.
Many factors make trees emergencies. A trunk can split upon a storm. The tree can be struck by lightning and can become structurally unsound in one night. Shallow rooted trees may tip and crash suddenly in heavy rain causing the soil to become saturated. A weak tree can be imperiled by disease from the inside out, and then a strong wind delivers the final blow. In each of these situations, the tree is no longer a landscape asset and must be dealt with immediately.
True Gen Tree Service is available for emergency tree removals in Virginia Beach and the surrounding area. When we arrive at a job site, even if it appears to be an emergency or complex, we can offer certified professionals, the right equipment and a process.
The Most Common Causes of Tree Emergencies in Virginia Beach
The weather in Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads is one of the most extreme on the East Coast. Coastal storms, high humidity, and strong winds make for frequent tree emergencies. Homeowners can gain insight into risks that could become disasters by knowing the most common causes.
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes
The Hampton Roads area is in the Atlantic hurricane track. Storms even far offshore can cause sustained winds and heavy rain that can topple trees throughout the area. Rainfall causes saturated soil that reduces the root holding of the soil. In the event of strong winds, trees that appear otherwise healthy start to fall, because the soil just cannot keep them up.
Following a tropical storm, True Gen Tree Service often gets a number of emergency calls in the same 24-hour span throughout the Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Hampton, and Portsmouth areas. We work as a well coordinated team and manage to assist as many homeowners as we can in these in-demand scenarios.
Thunderstorms and Lightning Strikes
Thunderstorms are strong and quick during the summer in Virginia. Trees can be instantly split in two by a lightning bolt, with one half standing and the other leaning against your house or car. Even if a lightning strike does not knock out a tree, it damages the tree’s interior, making it unstable for days, weeks or even months after the blow.
If a tree has survived a lightning strike, it should be evaluated by a professional. Never assume it’s safe just because it is still standing. Contact True Gen Tree Service to check it out and see if there is any way to lessen the danger by strategically pruning or removing the tree.
Wearing away the soil and root injury
Soil erosion exposes and weakens tree root systems due to heavy and sustained rainfall. If the roots are not attached to the soil, then the tree is unstable. Landscape construction particularly disturbs the soil around established trees along slopes, near drainage areas, and in yards.
A tree’s stability can also be affected by root damage, pests, or work done underground by utility companies during construction. Often it is homeowners who don’t realize something is wrong with their home’s roots until a storm exposes the issue in a dramatic and dangerous manner.
Disease & Pest Infestation
Rotted trees may appear alive on the outside with dead wood inside. As time goes on, fungal diseases, bacterial diseases, or insect pests such as emerald ash borers or bark beetles can hollow out the inside of a tree. When the fungus visibly affects the bark or leaves, severe structural damage may have taken place within the tree.
A sick tree doesn’t require a big storm to bring it down. It will topple over easily on a fairly windy day. Before the tree becomes an emergency, True Gen Tree Service will inspect and diagnose mushroom growth at the base, loss of limbs throughout the tree, falling bark, and excessive leaf drop outside of fall contact.
Natural Decline and Old Age
There is a natural life span of mature trees. With age trees lose vigor and internal strength, roots become decayed, and the tolerance for weather stress decreases markedly. Decades old, healthy, big trees can become dangerous hazards overnight when they begin their natural process of aging.
For many Virginia Beach residents, their homes have larger trees that are mature and attractive yet they would like to keep. We take that very seriously. True Gen Tree Service will make a careful evaluation to decide if they can keep and protect a tree in trouble or if it’s the better and more responsible course of action for your home and family to remove the tree.
Why Emergency Tree Removal Protects Your Property and Your Family
There are some homeowners who are afraid of the costs or the disturbance to their home if they need to hire emergency tree removal services. We know and understand that concern. However, if a tree owner does not resolve the issue, the risks could be much more expensive than removing the tree.
Structural Damage to Your Home
An infestation of trees on a roof will create immediate and critical structural damage. The weight of a big tree can cause roof sections to collapse, break rafters, shatter windows and let water in causing mold and structural issues over time. In many cases, the expense of fixing up the roof and inside water damage is much greater than the cost of removal of the emergency tree.
Before damage has been done, homeowners throughout Norfolk and Virginia Beach have been assisted by True Gen Tree Service in uprooting trees that pose a threat to their home. The prudent financial choice is always to remove when you can anticipate an emergency.
Vehicle Damage
When trees and heavy branches crash into vehicles, it can be extremely damaging. Then, vehicle repairs and insurance claims come to light, followed by the impact of needing transportation to work or family. Eliminating this risk is done by cutting down a tree over your parking strip or driveway.
Electrical Hazards
Trees in touch with power lines are an instant electrical hazard. Trees with downed power lines can cause ground currents around the tree. Approach by children, pets or adults can lead to serious electrocution. Never try to work on any tree/fuel line work alone. Contact your electric company and then contact True Gen Tree Service to arrange for safe removal, after they de-energize the lines.
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Liability to Neighbors
When a tree on your property falls and damages your neighbor’s home, vehicle or yard, you could be responsible for those damages. Many homeowners are not aware that they may have a known hazardous tree on their land, which if not addressed, leads to legal liability. Removing a hazardous tree protects not only your family and property, but also your neighbors and your wallet!
Physical safety of Your Family
This is the key thing to remember. An individual can be severely injured or killed by a falling tree or fallen branch. When a hazardous tree is on your property whether it’s a child playing in the yard, an adult walking to their car, or guests visiting your home there’s a serious problem. At True Gen Tree Service, we take this responsibility seriously on each and every job we take on.
How True Gen Tree Service Handles Emergency Tree Removal
This will ensure that we keep our crew safe, prevent further damage to your property, and provide you with the rapid results that emergencies require immediately.
Rapid Response & Site Assessment.
If you give True Gen Tree Service a call at (757) 840-9608, we will listen attentively to you and get our crew out the door as fast as we can. Upon arrival, we begin to determine the extent of the problem. We consider the location of the tree, the direction of risk, the presence of structures and utilities, and access our equipment requires to safely and effectively do the job.
All hazards are identified on site not just the obvious ones. Before we touch a single branch, we consider the hidden stresses in the wood, surrounding power lines, underground utilities and structural weaknesses. Our certified team doesn’t rush and cut without a clear and safe plan in place!
Clear and Honest Estimate
We provide you with an honest, concise quote prior to any work commences. We tell you exactly what we are going to do, how long it will take and what it includes. True Gen Tree Service strives for no hidden fees and surprise charges, just a clear price. Before our saws run you know what you are agreeing to.
We also explain what your homeowner may be covered for in the event of storm damage. Insurance may cover the cost of emergency tree removal if the damage is the result of a storm. The situation can be well documented to support your claim.
Safe and controlled removal of trees
Professional equipment is used to harvest the tree in a controlled and safe way by our certified professionals. This can be done in stages, starting at the top of the tree and working down to reduce risk of further damage. We use ropes, rigging and precise cutting methods to direct the falling of every section of the tree.
True Gen Tree Service utilizes state of the art equipment and techniques to service in confined areas, close to homes and landscaping elements, without further damage. We plan all cuts very carefully, and have a member on the ground who controls the entire cut, keeping everyone on site safe and the work on track.
Stump Grinding and Full Cleanup
After removing the tree, the stump is addressed. Stump grinding is a service we provide as part of our emergency service to remove the stump and large surface roots. Left behind stumps are hazards, bring pests and disrupt mowing and landscaping. Our grinding system will cut stumps below grade and smooth the ground surface for new planting or lawn restoration.
Next, we remove any rubbish from your premises. All branches, logs, wood chips and leaves go with us when we leave. Your yard will be cleaned professionally, and will look neat and useful when we are done. Every single time customers tell us that their yard looks better now than before the tree emergency that it was cleaned up by us.
Final Walk Through
We feel a job isn’t complete until you’re done with it. Our team take a stroll around the property with you prior to takeoff and ensure it is just right! We answer ALL that on the spot: If you have any questions about the rest of the landscape, concerns about trees nearby, and recommendations about what to plant in the space freed up by the removal, we will answer all that on the spot! We believe that lasting relationships begin with ensuring our customers are completely satisfied with all of our work, and that’s where it starts for True Gen Tree Service.
Emergency Tree Removal vs. Routine Tree Removal: What is the Difference?
There’s a question that often crosses the minds of homeowners: Is it really an emergency or should they have it removed on their regular schedule? The easiest way to understand this is:
Routine Tree Removal
Routine removal is used for trees that are dead, diseased, or unwanted, but do not currently pose an immediate threat. There is time to schedule it, obtain several quotes, and schedule for your calendar. The tree doesn’t have to fall on anything. It is a problem, it is not a crisis.
Emergency Tree Removal
Emergency tree removal is used when the tree or its parts are already causing damage, in the immediate path of something valuable or where there is obvious evidence that the tree is in danger of imminent collapse. The situation will not wait till next week to be resolved.
If you are unsure, call True Gen Tree Service (757) 840-9608 and give them a description of what you are seeing. Our team will help you decide on emergency response or if a regular appointment is better. I can supply you with sound advice and I do not push you into something that you don’t need.
How to Prevent Tree Emergencies Before They Happen
True Gen Tree Service is quick to arrive at the scene and is highly effective in solving your problems, but we would rather help you prevent any problems at all. The best way to lessen the chance of a tree becoming a problem on your property is through regular tree maintenance.
Have regular tree inspections
A tree inspection by a professional identifies structural issues, disease, pests and root issues before they become serious. Provide a tree professional with an annual or every 3-yearly check on most trees, frequently larger trees and trees near structures. We at True Gen Tree Service are thorough inspectors, and provide you with a true picture of your tree’s condition.
Stay up to date on Tree Trimming and Pruning!
Overgrown branches weigh down trees and may wind them over. Workers trim and prune dead, weak, or broken branches away before they can become projectiles in the path of a storm. Correct pruning also makes an overall healthy tree structurally balanced, which decreases the likelihood of it splitting or being stressed.
True Gen Tree Service offers professional tree trimming and pruning services for Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, and Portsmouth. Professional trimming is needed for most trees every 3-5 years. We carefully and accurately remove branches based on our understanding of the various species and their reactions to pruning, and we do not over-trim in ways that will negatively impact the long term health of a tree.
Proactively remove dead or severely diseased trees
The fallen tree waits for the wind to blow. Dead trees will start to rot and rapidly lose structural strength. If the tree is dead or very poor, and you can remove it without the risk of a storm, it will be less expensive, less risky and more manageable to remove it when convenient to you.
If trees on your property appear unhealthy, call True Gen Tree Service for a diagnosis. We can assist you in deciding whether pruning can save the tree or whether it is best to remove it preventively.
Pay Attention After Major Storms
Once a big storm strikes the Hampton Roads region, wander your property and make sure to check for damage. Look for broken branches, leaning trunks, elevated root balls and any debris trapped in the treetops. Call True Gen Tree Service if you notice anything that concerns you before the next storm, when it becomes a true emergency.
Conclusion
Emergency tree removal is a service that most homeowners would hope to never have to use. Yet, when a tree falls, leans, or poses a threat to your property in the Hampton Roads region, it could be a serious problem or a manageable one and that difference lies with the right team.
Every emergency we respond to brings True Gen Tree Service certified expertise, honesty in pricing, careful workmanship and a commitment to our community. We’ve taken the stress out of some of the worst tree emergencies to help families across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton and Portsmouth restore their properties and their peace of mind. We get the job done on time and do it right, and our customers depend on us.
If a tree on your property is an immediate hazard, take no action. As time goes on, the threat of damage, injury and loss of value to your property becomes greater when someone leaves a hazardous tree standing near your home. Let True Gen Tree Service take care of the rest, call us today and tell us what happened.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is the response time for True Gen Tree Service’s emergency service?
All emergencies are responded to as soon as possible. Upon calling us at (757) 840-9608, we will analyze your case at once and rush to the scene to assist you.
Is emergency tree removal covered by homeowner’s insurance?
This will depend on your policy and the reason for the tree destruction. When a storm blows down a tree on a home or structure, many types of homeowner’s insurance policies will provide coverage for the removal of the tree.
Does True Gen Tree Service have insurance?
Yes. True Gen Tree Service fully insures all of our services. Our certified team carries insurance, which means you won’t face liability for any issues that arise on your property while we are there.
If you cut down a tree, what will happen to it?
A: We clean up all debris from your property upon completion of our services. Our team takes all logs, branches, wood chips and all other material off-site. If you wish to retain any of the wood for your own use, please communicate, and we will discuss options.
How do I get a quote for emergency tree removal?
Give us a call at (757) 840-9608 or send us an email to mike@truegentreeservice.com. Tell us what’s happening and we’ll get back to you ASAP. If it is indeed an emergency, you always have the option of calling. We do not pressure you into estimates and we don’t charge extra for them.
