First: Stay Away From It
Before you pick up a chainsaw, read this. Storm-damaged trees are the single most dangerous thing in tree work, and the people who get hurt are almost always homeowners on day one of cleanup.
- Treat every downed line as live. If a limb is touching a wire, do not approach it. Call Ameren Illinois, then call us.
- Do not walk under hung-up limbs. A "widowmaker" is called that for a reason — it can come down hours or days later with no warning.
- Leave bent-over saplings and pinned trunks alone. Storm-bent wood stores enormous spring energy. Cut it in the wrong place and it releases all at once.
- Do not climb on a fallen root ball. A partially uprooted tree can stand itself back up when the weight shifts.
What We Handle After A Storm
- Trees down on houses, garages, sheds, fences and vehicles
- Trunks blocking driveways, lanes and field access
- Hung-up limbs and widowmakers pulled safely out of the canopy
- Split trunks and torn crotches assessed — saved where possible, removed where not
- Uprooted trees and root plates cut down and hauled off
- Whole-yard debris cleanup, chipping and haul-away
- Stump grinding once the immediate mess is gone
Documentation For Your Insurance Claim
Most homeowner's policies cover tree damage to a structure, and many cover removal when a tree blocks a driveway or is otherwise a hazard. Getting paid usually comes down to documentation.
Before we start cutting, we photograph the damage from several angles — where the tree fell, what it hit, and the condition of the wood. You get a written, itemized invoice that describes exactly what was done rather than a lump sum. Adjusters process that kind of paperwork much faster, and it saves you arguing over what a single line item covered.
If your adjuster needs to see it before removal, tell us and we will secure the hazard without disturbing the scene.
Why Local Matters After A Big Storm
After a bad night, out-of-state crews show up in Galesburg with a truck and a tailgate. Some are fine. Plenty are not insured, will not pull a permit, want cash up front, and are three states away by the time you find the ruts in your yard or the damage to your roof.
We live here. Our equipment is parked here, our name is on the truck, and you can look us up on Facebook and see fifty jobs we did for your neighbors. If something is not right, you know exactly where to find us.