When to do it
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. The best time for storm-prep trimming and removals is late winter through spring, before the season starts and before every tree crew in the area is booked. Once a named storm is in the forecast, it's usually too late to get non-emergency work scheduled.
Trees and limbs most likely to fail
- Dead trees and dead limbs, especially large ones over the house, drive or power drop.
- Laurel and water oaks with decay. These fast-growing oaks are common around Pensacola and often have hidden rot by middle age. Mushrooms at the base, cavities or large dead limbs are warning signs.
- Weak forks. Two trunks of similar size splitting from one point, especially with a crack or bark pinched between them.
- Long, heavy limbs reaching over the roof, typically on live oaks.
- Pines struck by lightning or browning at the top, which often means beetles are already in them.
- Trees with root damage from trenching, a new driveway, a pool or grading.
- Trees in soggy ground. Saturated sandy soil plus wind is how many healthy-looking trees uproot.
A pre-season checklist
- Walk the property and look up. Note dead limbs, hangers and anything touching the roof.
- Look at the base of each large tree for mushrooms, cavities, soft wood or lifted soil.
- Take photos and request estimates early for anything over the house, garage, drive or pool.
- Have palms cleaned of dead fronds and seed pods, but keep the green fronds.
- Keep the name and number of a tree service you trust, so you're not choosing a stranger after the storm.
What not to do
- Don't "hurricane cut" palms. Stripping a palm down to a few fronds weakens it and doesn't make it safer. See the palm trimming guide.
- Don't top trees. Topping leaves large wounds that decay and regrowth that breaks easily in the next storm.
- Don't over-thin. Stripping out the inside of a live oak ("lion-tailing") makes limbs whip and break in wind.
After the storm
- Stay away from downed lines. Assume any wire is live. Call your utility and 911.
- Photograph everything before anything is moved: the tree, the damage, the property. Your insurance company will want it.
- Don't cut a tree that's under tension or leaning on a house yourself. Bent and pinned trees can spring back with enormous force.
- Watch for hangers. Broken limbs caught in the canopy can drop days or weeks later.
- Be wary of storm chasers. Get a written price before work starts, don't pay the full amount up front, and ask for proof of insurance from anyone you hire.
Need help now? See emergency & hurricane tree service. Planning ahead? See tree trimming or tree health & risk checks.
Common questions
When should I trim trees before hurricane season in Pensacola?
Late winter through spring, before June 1. That's when crews have the most availability and you're not racing a forecast.
Does trimming really reduce hurricane damage?
Removing dead wood, reducing heavy limbs over structures and dealing with decayed or weak trees reduces the most common failures. No trimming makes a tree storm-proof, and over-pruning can make things worse.
Does homeowners insurance pay for tree removal after a hurricane?
Often, when a tree falls on a covered structure, though limits and deductibles vary. A tree that falls without hitting anything is often not covered. Check your policy and photograph the damage before cleanup.
Should I cut down big trees near my house before a hurricane?
Not automatically. A healthy, well-structured tree is often fine. Trees with decay, dead tops, weak forks or root damage near the house are the ones to deal with. An assessment can tell you which is which.