Get everyone away from the damaged part of the house, stay far from any downed power lines and call your electric utility if wires are involved. Do not climb onto the roof. Take photos from the ground, have a tree service remove the branch, then cover openings and deal with any water that got inside.

Wauwatosa is known for its mature trees. Big oaks, maples and lindens shade the older streets, and many of them were planted when the homes were built. In November, a strong west wind can push through before the leaves are fully down, and a heavy limb that looked fine all summer can give way in a single gust.

The same thing happens across the Milwaukee area, from the East Side and Riverwest to Brookfield and West Allis. When a branch comes down on a roof, the next few hours matter more than most people realize, because the real trouble usually starts when rain or snow finds its way through the opening.

Is It Safe to Go Near the Branch Right Away?

Not until you know whether power lines are involved. Look up and around before you walk toward the damage. If a wire is touching the tree, the gutters, a fence or the ground, treat it as live and keep everyone, including pets, well back.

Call your electric utility to report it, and call emergency services if anything is sparking or burning. Do not try to move a branch that is resting on or near a line, even with a wooden pole or a rake. Wet leaves and wet wood can carry current.

Inside the house, stay out of any room where the ceiling is sagging, cracked or dripping. A ceiling that has taken on water can come down without much warning. Close the door to that room if you can do it without standing under the damaged area.

Should I Climb Up and Look at the Roof Myself?

No. A roof with a limb on it is unstable, the shingles are often wet or covered in leaves, and the branch itself may shift as it settles. Falls from ladders and roofs are one of the most common ways a storm cleanup turns into a much bigger problem.

You can learn a lot from the ground. Walk the yard and look for broken shingles, a bent gutter, cracked siding or a hole in the roof deck. Then go to the attic or top floor, if it is safe to stand there, and check for daylight, wet insulation or water running down the rafters.

What Should I Photograph for My Insurance Company?

Take pictures before anything is moved, as long as you can do it safely. Wide shots help show where the tree stood and where the limb landed. Close-ups help show the damage to shingles, gutters, windows and siding.

Then move inside and photograph any stained ceilings, wet carpet, damaged furniture and water on the floor. A short video walking through each affected room is useful too. Write down the date and the time the branch came down while it is fresh in your mind.

Keep receipts for anything you buy to protect the house, such as tarps, buckets or fans. Your insurer decides what your policy covers, so it is a good idea to check your policy and call your agent early. Good records make that conversation easier, whatever the outcome.

How Do You Stop Rain From Getting In After a Branch Hits the House?

The goal is to close the opening as soon as the branch is off. On a roof, that usually means a heavy tarp stretched over the damaged area, run up and over the ridge and secured with wood strips so wind cannot get underneath it. On a broken window or a hole in a wall, it means board-up with plywood.

This work happens on a ladder or on the roof, often with sharp debris around, so it is a job for a crew with the right gear. A restoration company can handle emergency tarping and board-up, which buys time until the roofer, window installer or contractor can make permanent repairs.

From inside, you can put buckets under drips, move furniture and electronics out of the way and lay towels down to protect floors. If water is collecting in a bulging spot on the ceiling, keep people out of that room and let a professional handle it.

Who Removes the Tree or the Limb?

A tree service. Removing a large limb from a roof takes rigging, climbing gear and experience reading how the weight will shift once a cut is made. A small branch on the lawn is one thing. A trunk section resting on the ridge of a house is something else.

Many tree services also check the rest of the tree and tell you whether more limbs are cracked or hanging. That is worth asking about, because a second branch can come down in the next storm. Once the tree work is done, the restoration and repair work can start.

Why Wauwatosa Homes Face This Every Fall

Many Wauwatosa streets are lined with trees that have been growing for generations, and plenty of homes sit close to large trees in the backyard too. Older trees can have hidden decay, weak branch unions or limbs that grew long and heavy over the street or the roof.

Late fall brings a mix of strong wind, cold rain and the first wet snow. Wind coming across the region from the west and gusts off Lake Michigan farther east can both stress branches. Wet snow on leaves that have not dropped yet adds weight to limbs that are already working hard.

The houses themselves add to the picture. Many older homes here have attics with blown-in insulation, plaster ceilings and hardwood floors. All of those hold water once it gets in, and plaster ceilings can get heavy when they soak through. That is why a small opening in the roof can turn into a large interior repair if it is left for a few days.

What Happens After the Tarp Goes On?

Once the house is closed up, the next step is finding all the water. It rarely stays where it landed. Water that comes through a roof can soak attic insulation, run along joists, travel down inside a wall cavity and show up as a stain two rooms away.

Restoration crews use moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to trace where it went. Then they set up dehumidifiers and air movers to dry out framing, drywall, plaster and subfloors. The EPA advises drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold growth, so drying usually starts as soon as the space is safe to enter.

Some materials can be dried in place. Others, like soaked insulation, ceiling drywall or padding under carpet, may need to come out. The crew monitors moisture readings each day and keeps the equipment running until the materials reach normal dry levels. After that, the structural repairs can begin: framing, roof decking, drywall, paint and trim.

Call a Pro or Handle It Yourself: Wauwatosa Branch Damage

Fine to handle yourself

• Small branches on the lawn or driveway, well away from any wires.
• Photos and video of the damage from the ground and from inside the house.
• Moving rugs, furniture and electronics away from drips.
• Setting out buckets and towels under small leaks.
• Calling your insurance agent and keeping receipts.

Time to call a professional

• Any branch touching or near a power line (call the utility first).
• A limb resting on the roof or wedged against the house.
• Holes in the roof, broken windows or damaged siding that need tarping or board-up.
• Wet attic insulation, stained or sagging ceilings, or water inside walls.
• A musty smell days after the storm, which can mean hidden moisture.

How Can I Lower the Risk Before the Next Windstorm?

Look at the trees closest to your house now, while you can still see the branch structure before snow. Watch for dead limbs, cracks where branches meet the trunk, mushrooms at the base, or a tree that has started to lean. Those are all reasons to have a tree service take a closer look.

Keep gutters clear so rain from a storm drains away rather than backing up under shingles. Know where your main water shutoff and electrical panel are, in case you need them. Store a tarp, a flashlight and a few heavy-duty trash bags somewhere easy to reach.

It also helps to keep a short list of who you would call: your insurance agent, a tree service and a restoration company. When a branch comes down at night or on a holiday weekend, you do not want to be searching for numbers in the dark.

If a branch has come through your roof or let water into your home, contact ServiceMaster Kwik Restore, available 24/7 for storm damage help in Wauwatosa, and our crew will help you tarp, dry out and get the house back in order.