Storm Preparation Guide
A two-page homeowner guide to storm-proofing trees: what to do before the season, the warning signs of an at-risk tree, and how to stay safe after.
Storm Preparation Guide
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Healthy, well-maintained trees ride out storms; weak or defective ones come down on roofs, cars and power lines. The guide covers the before-season work — inspection, structural pruning to reduce wind load, removing dead and hanging limbs, cabling weak unions — and lists the warning signs of a tree at risk.
Page two is a do/don't list (don't top or 'hurricane cut'; don't over-thin) and an after-the-storm section: stay clear of downed lines, hire a pro for loaded and uprooted trees, photograph damage for insurance, and avoid storm-chaser crews. A readiness checklist ties it together.
What's inside
- Before-season work: inspection, structural pruning, deadwood, cabling
- Warning signs a tree may be at risk
- A do / don't list (no topping, no over-thinning)
- After-the-storm safety (downed lines, loaded trees, insurance photos)
- How to avoid storm-chaser scams
- A quick readiness checklist