What Oklahoma storms actually leave behind
Straight-line winds, tornadoes, hail, and ice storms all leave different kinds of damage. Straight-line wind events snap limbs and push over trees that were already leaning. Tornadoes take entire structures and scatter debris across properties that were not even in the direct path. Ice storms load branches past their breaking point and drop them on roofs, cars, fences, and power lines. Each type needs different equipment and a different approach to clearing.
Safety first, then cleanup
- Stay away from downed power lines. If a tree fell on a line or a line fell across your property, call OG&E or your local utility before anyone walks into the area.
- Check for gas leaks. A tree root that ripped out of the ground can pull a gas line with it. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the utility.
- Do not climb onto a damaged roof to clear debris. If a tree is on the roof, it needs to come off from above with equipment, not from below with a ladder.
- Document the damage with photos before anyone moves anything. Your insurance adjuster needs to see what the storm did, not what the cleanup crew left.
What the cleanup crew handles
Fallen trees get cut into sections and removed. Branches get chipped or hauled. Fencing, roofing debris, and damaged structures get separated from the trees and hauled to the appropriate disposal site. If a tree pulled its root ball out of the ground, the root ball gets extracted and the hole gets filled and compacted. That last step matters. A root ball hole on clay soil collects water for months if it is just left open.
Timing matters in OKC storm cleanup
After a major storm event, every tree service and every contractor in the metro is booked. The businesses that can mobilize a Bobcat and a dump truck fast are the ones that clear the backlog. A residential lot with two or three downed trees takes a day with the right equipment. The same lot cleared by hand with chainsaws and a pickup truck takes three or four.
Insurance and storm work
Most homeowner's policies cover tree removal when a tree falls on a structure (house, garage, fence). A tree that falls in the yard and does not hit anything is often not covered, or is covered with a low per-tree cap. Ask your adjuster what your policy covers before signing a cleanup contract. Get the scope and estimate in writing.
Why speed matters
A tree leaning against a structure continues to cause damage every day it sits there. Rain gets into the holes it punched. The weight stresses framing that was not designed for it. And a downed tree across a driveway makes the property unusable until it is gone. Mike's Bobcat Service does rapid-response storm cleanup across the Oklahoma City metro. Serving OKC, Edmond, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, and Yukon since 1994. Call (405) 413-4272.