Tree Falls. Bills Add Up.

Morningside is fortunate to have so many large trees shading our streets and clearing our air, but these lovely trees also carry serious risks. My husband Jim and I learned that the hard way last month.

When a sudden strong wind blew through Morningside around 6 p.m. on August 27, I rushed to close the windows on our screened in back porch. I heard a crash and saw large tree limbs falling around the porch. A 110-foot cottonwood tree in our neighbor’s backyard had uprooted and crashed onto our roof. Tree limbs blocked our front and back doors and driveway. Although my husband and I (and our cat Rosalita) were home at the time, thankfully no one was hurt.

It took ten days to get the tree removed. The chimney had been seriously damaged and was only held in place by a tree limb, so first a mason had to carefully dismantle the chimney, brick by brick. The supervisor from the tree service said he knew from experience that if the chimney had fallen, it would have crashed through the roof, both floors, and landed in the basement, wreaking havoc all the way down.

Lifting and removing the tree required a crane so large that the tree removal company had to get special permission from the city to partially block city streets to get it to our house. It turns out that can’t happen on a holiday weekend, so we had to wait until the Friday after Labor Day to get the tree removed.

A fallen cottonwood tree covers the entire roof of the residence. Image courtesy of Jim West

The fallen cottonwood tree covers the width of the entire roof. Image courtesy of Jim West

What have we learned from this experience? Pay closer attention to the health of tall trees around our home. This cottonwood in our neighbor’s yard had no dead limbs, so we never even noticed it. We now know that there are other, more subtle signs that a tree isn’t healthy - wilting or discolored leaves, leaves with holes, fungus on the bark, or bare spots in the bark. It turned out that this cottonwood was the victim of root rot. Signs of root rot include wilted or yellowing leaves (which this tree didn’t have) and soil around the roots that doesn’t dry out after a rain.

We also realize now that our other neighbor’s dead tree limb that’s been hanging for years over our garage has to come down. The tree expert also told us that the magnificent 100-foot oak tree in our back yard is showing clear signs of aging and will need to be taken down within the next several years. Many of the trees in Morningside are nearing the end of their life span and susceptible to the more frequent and severe storms that result from climate change. Unfortunately, large tree removal is very expensive, and unless a tree is on the berm, removal is the owner’s responsibility. Detroit has programs for home repairs; perhaps removal of dangerous trees anywhere should be a priority as well.

This whole experience has been stressful, but it would have been catastrophic if we hadn’t had good homeowners’ insurance. Just getting the tree taken off the roof cost $35,000 because of all the special trucks and equipment required. Add the cost of a new roof, replacing the chimney, repairing the ceiling that was punctured by a tree limb, and repairs to the upstairs bathroom, and the cost of getting our house back to normal will be at least $100,000! The only thing we’ll have to pay is the $1,500 deductible.

Homeowners’ insurance is expensive - our annual premium is $1,600 - and unfortunately too many people have to choose between insuring their homes and putting food on the table. We clearly need insurance reform, but that’s a big subject for another time.

The morning after the storm, Dan Gath, who lives in the neighborhood, was out walking with his two young sons when he noticed our tree-covered house. Dan offered his services as a general contractor and rescued us from the stress of dealing with the insurance company and the city, getting quotes, and negotiating with a slew of contractors. If I believed in angels, I’d say Dan was a gift from heaven. If you ever need a general contractor, Dan is your man. You can reach him at 313- 888-0118.

Other angels came to us in the form of friends who offered us places to stay for the nine days when it was unsafe to sleep in our house. We were as comfortable as anyone could hope to be when they’ve been forced from their home.

Although this was an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone, it gave us some important reminders: pay attention to the trees around you and take care of them, make homeowners’ insurance a priority, get a good general contractor when disaster strikes, and be nice to your family and friends. You never know when you’ll need a little help to get by.

A member of the tree removal company begins the process of removing one of the limbs. Image courtesy of Jim West

The dismantling of the chimney. Image courtesy of Jim West