Extreme winter weather – high winds, heavy rain or ice – can rearrange your landscape, even bringing down trees. When storms are severe, even long-standing “veterans” can topple without warning. It can be frightening or even dangerous. And if that tree has been part of your family for a long time, losing it can feel heart-breaking.But what a mess! Whether it’s a bunch of smaller branches and leafy debris, one great big limb, or an entire tree, things can fall down and land on your lawn when winter weather takes a turn for the worse. Now what?
First, assess the situation to make sure your family and pets are safe. Did the tree fall on anything other than your lawn – your roof, other structures, or your car? If there are downed power lines anywhere, stay away from them and call the utility company immediately. Take pictures of the fallen tree and any visible damage.
Cleaning up random limbs and debris is no different from tidying up your artificial grass at any other time. You pick up the larger pieces and then rake or blow the small pieces off the turf. Give it a rinse with the hose to remove any residual dirt or mud, and all is fluffy and green again. If you have an entire tree – or most of one – to contend with, call in a professional arborist to do the initial work.
Oh, no! It’s worse than you first thought
What if, once your lawn is cleared, you find that the fallen tree or tree part has actually damaged your artificial grass? Call us here at Heavenly Greens. Things happen, whether it’s this problem or something like a small melted spot from your barbecue. Repairs are possible, but we’ll need to see the situation in person. That way we can assess the extent of the damage and recommend the best remedy.
Who is responsible?
Here at Heavenly Greens, we provide some of the best warranties in the industry for the artificial grass products we sell and install. Our warranties cover a number of specific problems, but all of them relate to defects in the product itself. Product warranties do not cover accidental damage.
Call your insurance agent right away. Homeowners insurance covers damage to your home or contents from accidents such as falling trees. Typically, it also covers other structures on your property such as your fence or a gazebo. Your artificial turf is also a significant landscape feature. So is the cost of fallen-tree repair covered? Maybe, but maybe not. Sometimes storm damage is considered an “act of God” and is not covered.
Policies differ, and it’s crucial to know what your policy includes, under which circumstances, and to what extent. So make that call now. If you will need to place a claim, you’ll want to get started.
But what if it’s not your tree? If the mess is in your yard, it’s up to you to deal with it, whether the tree was yours or your neighbors.
Preventing future incidents
It’s not always possible to predict which trees or limbs are at risk of falling, but there are steps you can take to minimize your risks:
- Regularly prune out dead or diseased wood, because weakened branches are the most vulnerable. This also gives you a chance to inspect your tree closely to look for other potential problems.
- If you’re concerned about branches overhanging from a neighbor’s tree, trim them back to your property line.
It’s good to know what to do if a tree falls on your artificial grass. But let’s hope this winter is trouble-free!
