Emergency Storm Tree Service in Reno, NV

Emergency storm tree service in Reno usually follows wind. The valley is windy year-round, winter storms can bring much stronger gusts, and the December 2014 storm reached 71 mph at Reno-Tahoe International Airport while falling trees and branches knocked out power to about 11,000 customers. Wet spring or fall snow on trees still in leaf can do similar damage. When a tree or a big limb comes down on a house, a car, a fence or across the driveway, the job is to make it safe first and clean up second.

First, stay safe

• Stay out from under hanging or cracked limbs, even small ones; they can fall without warning.
• If any part of a tree is touching a wire, treat the wire as live. Keep everyone back and call NV Energy before anything else.
• Do not climb onto a roof with a tree on it. The tree may be holding weight that shifts as it is cut.
• If a tree has broken through a roof or wall and the house is not safe, leave it.
• Take photos of the damage from a safe spot before anything is moved; your insurance company will want them.

What we do on a storm call

You can call (775) 600-6504 any time to leave details, and storm calls are worked in order of danger: trees on occupied houses, blocked exits and driveways first, then trees on fences, sheds and yards. On site, we look at how the tree is loaded before making any cut. A trunk lying on a roof can be under tension, and the first cuts are made to relieve that load without letting the tree roll or drop onto the structure. Pieces are lifted or lowered off the roof rather than pushed. Once the weight is off, the rest of the tree is cut up, the brush chipped and the wood stacked or hauled.

Trees on lines and in the street

Anything involving power lines, including the service line to your house, waits for NV Energy to make it safe. After a major wind or winter storm, City of Reno crews may clear obstructions from streets and the right-of-way regardless of ownership and may pick up limbs in the street. Trees and limbs on your own property are yours to deal with.

The tree that didn't fall

After a storm, look at the trees that are still standing. A fresh crack at a fork, a tree that now leans with the soil heaved up on the far side, or a large limb hung up in the crown are all signs the next wind could finish the job. Those are worth a quick look while the crew is already there, and they are usually much easier to deal with standing than lying on your roof.

Call (775) 600-6504 with your address, what fell and what it is on. Photos help us bring the right gear.