What to Do While Waiting for a Tree Removal Crew in Greensboro

A tree just came down on your property in Greensboro and a crew is on the way. The next 30 minutes are the most important — for safety, for your home, and for your insurance payout. Here is exactly what to do.

Minute 0–5: Make the scene safe

1. Get everyone, including pets, at least two tree-lengths away from the damaged tree.
2. Do not stand under any partially supported limb or hung-up tree.
3. If any line is involved — power, cable, phone — call Duke Energy at 1-800-769-3766 before anyone goes near it.
4. Turn off the breaker for the affected area of the house if you can reach it safely.

Minute 5–15: Document everything

Before anything moves, photograph and video the scene from every angle. Wide shots, close-ups of damage, interior water intrusion, vehicle damage, the root ball, any displaced shingles. Insurance adjusters pay based on what they can see — give them everything.

Minute 15–30: Limit secondary damage

• Tarp the roof only if it is safe from the ground or a stable ladder — never climb a damaged roof.
• Move undamaged contents away from any leak path.
• Place buckets under active drips. Towels around the base.
• Open a claim with your insurance company by phone — most carriers have 24/7 hotlines.

What NOT to do

• Do not try to cut the tree yourself with a chainsaw — bound wood under tension can spring back with lethal force.
• Do not let an unlicensed door-knocker start work without showing NC insurance.
• Do not pay cash up front for any emergency tree work.
• Do not move the tree before insurance has photos.
• Do not climb the roof.