Storm damage, and restoration.

Practical Homeowner Advice: What to Do After a Storm Damages Your Tree

Finding a damaged tree in your yard after a windstorm or heavy snowfall can be stressful. A broken limb hanging over the driveway or a split trunk naturally grabs your attention. Still, the damage you can see is only part of the story. The way a tree is pruned during the first few weeks after a storm often determines how well it recovers over the next several years.

Many homeowners make the mistake of cutting off every broken branch they can reach or hiring the first company with a chainsaw. That approach can create larger wounds, remove too much living canopy, and leave the tree with weak, poorly attached regrowth. Once that happens, the tree may never regain its natural form or strength.

Instead, take a step back and assess the situation.

Start with Safety

Never approach a tree if:

• Limbs are touching power lines

• The trunk has cracked or shifted

• Large branches are hanging overhead

• The root plate has lifted from the ground

• The tree is leaning more than it did before the storm

These situations require immediate attention from qualified professionals.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Storm cleanup often leads to well-meaning decisions that create bigger problems.

Avoid:

• Topping the tree to "make it safer"

• Removing more than necessary during one visit

• Leaving torn bark hanging from broken limbs

• Using wound paint or tree sealants

• Climbing damaged trees without proper equipment

• Letting untrained crews use climbing spikes on living trees that are being preserved

Each unnecessary cut creates another wound that the tree must close. Good pruning removes only what the tree cannot recover from while keeping as much healthy canopy as possible.

Why an ISA Certified Arborist Makes a Difference

Storm-damaged trees rarely need random pruning. They need thoughtful pruning with a long-term plan.

An ISA Certified Arborist has training in tree biology, structural pruning, risk assessment, and proper pruning standards. They can tell the difference between branches that should be removed right away and branches that should stay to support recovery.

A qualified arborist will also determine whether crown restoration is appropriate or whether the tree has suffered too much damage to recover safely.

During a crown restoration project, an ISA Certified Arborist can:

• Evaluate the tree's overall health and structural condition

• Identify branches that can become future scaffold limbs

• Remove damaged wood while preserving healthy foliage

• Reduce the chance of decay entering large wounds

• Develop a multi-year pruning plan instead of trying to "fix" everything in one visit

• Follow ANSI A300 pruning standards and current arboriculture best practices

For mature shade trees, this kind of planning often adds decades to the tree's useful life.

Think Long Term

Storm recovery is rarely finished in one afternoon.

Large trees often benefit from follow-up inspections every two to three years. Each visit allows the arborist to remove weak shoots, improve branch spacing, and continue guiding the crown back toward a stable, natural structure.

Patience pays off. Trees grow slowly, and crown restoration works with that natural process rather than fighting it.

The Bottom Line

A storm doesn't always mean a beloved tree has to come down. Many damaged trees can recover with careful pruning and a thoughtful restoration plan.

If your tree has lost major limbs, suffered broken branches, or has an uneven canopy after a storm, have it inspected by an ISA Certified Arborist before any major pruning begins. A proper evaluation can help you avoid unnecessary removal, improve long-term tree health, and restore the beauty and safety of one of the most valuable features on your property.

For homeowners, that's money well spent. A healthy, well-managed tree provides shade, boosts curb appeal, increases property value, and continues serving your landscape for many years to come.