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Denver · Storm damage
Storm Damage Tree Removal in Denver
After a wet spring or fall snow, Denver wakes up to limbs across sidewalks, alleys and service lines. Most of the trees can be saved. The work is deciding which, and making the right cuts.
Call availability varies by area and time of day. Calls are answered by an independent tree service provider.
Who cleans up broken limbs in Denver?
The property owner. Under city code you are responsible for trees on your lot and for the street tree next to it, including broken limbs that fall on or hang over the sidewalk, street or alley.
- On wires
- Call Xcel Energy. Do not touch the tree.
- Blocking a street
- Report it to the city. Crews clear travel lanes, and the owner remains responsible for the tree.
- Hired help
- Must hold a Denver Tree Contractor License, even for storm cleanup.
What to look for once the snow melts
Hangers
Broken limbs caught in the crown. They fall days later.
Cracked unions
A split where a big limb meets the trunk, sometimes visible only as a fresh line in the bark.
Limbs bent and not recovering
After a week of mild weather, a limb still drooping is probably cracked inside.
Bark torn below a break
The tear needs trimming to sound wood so the wound can close.
A trunk split down the middle
In multi-stemmed maples, elms and pears. Often the end of the tree.
How snow damage is dealt with
Hazards first
Hangers and cracked limbs over walks, drives, roofs and alleys come down.
Clean cuts
Broken stubs are cut back to a branch or the trunk at the proper point. Flush cuts and long stubs both invite decay.
Assess structure
With the debris gone, the arborist judges whether enough sound framework remains.
Follow-up pruning
A year or two later, the sprouts that grow from damaged areas are thinned and trained.
Why Denver trees break the way they do
Two things combine here. Much of the older canopy is silver maple, Siberian elm and green ash, all with narrow branch unions that split under load. And the heaviest snow arrives when leaves are on, in late April and May or in September and October.
Leaves multiply the surface that catches snow. A limb that carries its winter load easily can hold several hundred extra pounds for a few hours on a May morning. The limbs that fail first are long, horizontal and heavy at the tip.
Trees pruned regularly for structure lose far less. Those that were topped or lion-tailed years ago lose the most, because the regrowth is weakly attached and concentrated at the ends.
Repair or remove
| Damage | Usual outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small and medium limbs broken, leader intact | Repair | Most trees. Good recovery. |
| One large limb lost, up to a third of the crown | Repair | Balance the remaining crown over time |
| More than half the crown gone | Often remove | Depends on species and value |
| Trunk split at a main fork | Remove, or cable in select cases | Cabling is for sound, valuable trees only |
| Tree uprooted or leaning with lifted soil | Remove | Small trees can sometimes be reset |
What needs doing when
- Act now
A limb is on the service line or blocking the alley
Call Xcel or the city, then a licensed contractor.
- Act now
Hangers remain over a walk or driveway
Rope the area off and have them removed within days.
- This week
Broken stubs and torn bark, nothing hanging
Schedule corrective pruning in the next few weeks.
- Plan it
The tree is safe but misshapen
Plan structural pruning for the dormant season.
Denver snow damage questions
Does Denver pick up broken branches after a snowstorm?
After major storms the city has opened branch drop-off sites and sometimes offered limited collection. It varies by storm. Otherwise disposal is the owner's or contractor's responsibility.
Can I cut up fallen limbs myself in Denver?
Yes, limbs already on the ground on your property. Leave anything overhead, under tension or near wires to a licensed contractor.
How long is the wait for a tree company after a Denver snowstorm?
Hazards are handled in days. Corrective pruning can be booked out for several weeks because every licensed company is busy at once.
Should a split tree be cabled?
Sometimes. Cabling suits a sound, valuable tree with a partial crack. It is not a fix for decayed wood or a trunk split to the ground.
Storm Damage Tree Removal help in Denver
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in Denver, CO.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
Limbwright is a referral service. Your call goes to an independent tree service company that sets its own schedule and terms. Ask for proof of insurance and a written scope before work starts. How this works
Call now
Talk to a tree service provider in your area. Have the tree's location and what it is near ready.
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