A Storm-Season Tree Checklist for Longview Homeowners

Published July 1, 2026

Longview sits in the Piney Woods, where tall loblolly pines and post oaks shade nearly every yard and take the brunt of every squall line. The best time to deal with a storm-damaged tree is before the storm arrives. Walk your property with this checklist and you will head into the season with fewer surprises off Judson Road and everywhere else.

Inspect the Canopy Before Summer

Look up before the first big thunderstorm of the year. Scan for deadwood, cracked limbs, and branches that hang over the roof or the driveway. A dead pine holds its needles for a while, so a bare limb against a green canopy is worth a second look. Note anything leaning more than it did last season, and photograph it so you have a baseline if weather changes it later.

Cable Weak Unions Before Ice Season

East Texas gets the occasional ice event, and ice loads a canopy with hundreds of extra pounds. A tree with co-dominant stems or included bark is the one that splits under that weight. Fall is the time to install steel cables and bracing rods on those weak unions. If you are not sure whether a union is sound, our tree trimming and pruning crew can assess it and reinforce it before the first freeze.

Know the Warning Signs After Weather

Once a storm passes, stay clear and read the damage from a distance. A root plate lifting out of the soil, a fresh trunk split, or a limb hung up in the canopy all mean the tree is still dangerous even if it is standing. Treat every downed line as live, keep kids and pets back, and call the utility before anyone approaches the tree.

Leave the Chainsaw in the Shed

Wood under tension is unpredictable. A storm-loaded limb can snap back, and a trunk can barber-chair when a cut releases it. Limbs resting on a roof need to be rigged and lowered, not sawed free. This is exactly the work a trained climber does under ANSI Z133 safety practice, and it is where a homeowner most often gets hurt.

Have a Number Ready

When a tree is already on the ground blocking the driveway in 75604, you do not want to be searching for help. Keep a local crew on hand that answers day or night and can reach a same-day hazard. Save your inspection photos, get any removal in writing, and you will have clean paper for the insurance adjuster.

Ready for the season, or already dealing with damage? Contact us or call Addictionscience at (903) 639-7008. We respond day or night across Longview and Gregg County, clear the hazard safely, and haul the mess away.