Storm Damage to Your Trees? Here's What to Do (and What Not to Do)

Colorado weather doesn’t mess around. Between spring and summer thunderstorms, damaging hail, high winds coming off the mountains, and heavy wet snow, trees along the Front Range take a beating. When a storm leaves a tree split, hanging, or toppled, it’s stressful — and knowing what to do (and what not to do) can keep you safe and save the tree.

First: Stay Safe

Before you worry about the tree, protect yourself and your family:

• Assume every downed line is live. If a tree or limb is touching a power line, stay far away and call your utility — never try to move it yourself.
• Look up before you walk under a damaged tree. Broken “hangers” and partially attached limbs can drop without warning.
• Keep clear of leaning trees and lifted root plates. An uprooted tree can shift or fall completely.
• Don’t climb or use a chainsaw on a storm-damaged tree yourself — storm work involves tension and compression forces that are dangerous even for experienced homeowners.

What You Can Safely Do

Once you’ve confirmed there are no downed lines and no immediate hazard, you can:

• Take photos of the damage for your insurance records.
• Pick up small, loose debris that’s on the ground and easy to reach.
• Rope off or flag the area so no one walks under a damaged canopy.
• Make a list of the affected trees so you can describe them when you call an arborist.

What NOT to Do

• Don’t “top” a damaged tree. Cutting the whole crown back to stubs seems like a fix, but it creates weak regrowth and often dooms the tree.
• Don’t over-prune in a panic. A tree that lost a limb or two can often recover if pruned properly. Removing too much live wood on top of storm loss can push it over the edge.
• Don’t hire a door-knocker without checking credentials. After big storms, out-of-town “storm chasers” appear offering cheap cleanup. Always confirm the company is licensed, insured, and local.

Can the Tree Be Saved?

It depends on the damage. Trees often recover when:

• They’ve lost less than about half their canopy
• The main leader (top trunk) and most major limbs are intact
• Broken branches can be cleanly pruned back to healthy wood

Removal is usually the safer call when the trunk is split, the tree is leaning with lifted roots, or major structural limbs are broken. An ISA Certified Arborist can evaluate the structure and give you an honest recommendation rather than defaulting to removal.

We’re Here When Storms Hit

Mr Stump Tree Service has helped Colorado Springs homeowners recover from storms since 1976. Our licensed, insured crews and ISA Certified Arborists safely handle hanging limbs, split trunks, and uprooted trees — and we’ll tell you straight whether a tree can be saved or needs to come down. If a storm has damaged your trees, call us at (719) 481-2500 or request a quote online.