Emergency storm service is the urgent removal of a tree or limb that has landed on a house, car or driveway, or that is about to. Randolph's ridges catch hard wind and its wet valley soils let trees uproot, so these calls cluster after nor'easters and wet snow. Storm removals in the region range from $1,000 to beyond $6,000, and JCP&L must clear any wires first.
Randolph's height and its tree cover both work against it in a storm. Wind tends to hit harder on the ridges, and heavy wet snow or ice piles weight onto the oaks and maples that crowd so many lots. When Hurricane Sandy came through in 2012, Randolph was among the Morris County towns waiting days for JCP&L to restore power, much of it because of fallen trees. Saturated ground near the Black River, Mill Brook and smaller streams makes uprooting more likely after a long rain. Steep, winding roads can also leave homes cut off when a single tree falls across them.
If a tree comes down on your house or across your driveway, keep everyone away from it and treat any wire touching it as live. Call JCP&L if lines are involved and wait for the utility to make them safe. Once that is done, a crew can lift the weight off the structure, cut the debris clear and assess what is left standing. On sloped Randolph lots, a trunk resting on a roof can be under tension in ways that are hard to read, so this is work for rigging and sometimes a crane.
Storms keep every crew in the area busy, and emergency work usually costs more than a scheduled job. Photograph the damage before anything moves and call your insurance company early. Ask for an itemized invoice that separates removing the tree from the structure, cleanup and any temporary tarping, since insurers often look at those differently. Be careful with anyone who shows up at the door after a storm asking for full payment in advance and cannot give you a New Jersey tree care license number. If a tree is down but not on anything, it can often wait a few days for a calmer price.
Signs you need emergency storm tree service
- A tree or large limb on the roof, garage or car
- A trunk blocking a steep driveway that is your only way out
- A tree uprooted on wet ground with the root plate tipped up
- A split trunk or hanging limb over the house after wet snow
- Trees down across wires on your property
Questions about emergency storm tree service
A tree is on the wires in front of my Randolph house. Who do I call?
Call JCP&L first and stay well back. The utility needs to make the lines safe before any tree crew can work near them.
Will the township clear a tree that fell across my driveway?
Trees on private property are generally the owner's responsibility. If a tree from your yard is blocking a township road, contact the township so they know about it, and ask your contractor about clearing your side.
Does insurance cover a storm tree in Randolph?
Coverage depends on your policy. Many cover removal when a tree damages a covered structure, while a tree that lands in the yard without hitting anything may have limited coverage. Take photos and call your insurer.
Worth knowing in Randolph
Removing trees in Randolph runs through a Tree Protection Permit filed with the township Planning Division; residential lots need a sketch or marked survey, and cutting may begin within 48 hours after the Planning Division is notified and the permit is approved.
randolphnj.orgTropical Storm Isaias in August 2020 knocked out power to about 9,400 Randolph households, roughly 88% of the township, with some outages lasting six days.
patch.comRandolph's Liberty Tree, dating to 1720, was removed on August 31, 2018.
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