Fallen Tree Roof Damage in Los Angeles, CA
When a tree fell on your roof in Los Angeles, the first job is making the house safe and keeping rain out. We tarp the opening, check the framing under the impact, and write up the damage with photos for your insurer. A tree service handles the tree itself.
- ★ 4.9 on Google · 69 reviews
- Same-day or next-day bookings
- Based in Van Nuys, CA
On this page
- What to do first when a tree falls on your roof in Los Angeles
- Who removes the tree, and where does a roofer fit in?
- Signs of tree damage you can see, and signs you cannot
- How we tarp, check and repair a roof after a tree hits it
- Will insurance cover a tree on your roof?
- Do repairs after a tree fall need a permit, and who checks the framing?
- What affects the cost of tree damage roof repair?
- Why Clear Shield for tree on roof repair in Los Angeles
- Common questions
A tree on the roof is a safety problem first and a roof problem second. The weight of a trunk can shift framing, break rafters and open a hole to the sky in seconds. This page sets out what to do in the first hour and how we would handle the roof, as part of our wider emergency roof repair work.
If a tree fell on your roof in Los Angeles, start at the section below and leave the house if you smell gas or see downed lines.
What to do first when a tree falls on your roof in Los Angeles
Keep it short and safe.
- Get out of the damaged area. Do not sleep under the impact, and keep children and pets away.
- Stay off the roof. Wet wood, broken tile and a loaded trunk can all give way.
- Leave and call 911 for downed power lines, a gas smell, or sounds of the house shifting.
- Photograph from the ground before anything is moved, including the tree, the roof and any ceiling damage.
- Call your insurer to open the claim and ask what they require before repairs.
- Call us to plan a tarp visit around the tree crew.
Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent more damage, so protecting the opening is not something to put off. Keep receipts.
Who removes the tree, and where does a roofer fit in?
A tree service cuts and removes the tree. A roofer deals with the roof. They are two jobs, usually done in sequence.
A heavy trunk can be the only thing holding a broken rafter in place. Taking it off all at once can drop the debris through the roof. A good tree crew cuts it down in sections, and we are happy to explain what the roof will tolerate before they start. Once the weight is off, we can open the damaged area, tarp it and look at the structure underneath.
Wind is the usual trigger here. On December 29, 2025, Santa Ana winds of up to 55 mph felled trees across Los Angeles, and in Sylmar one uprooted onto a one-story home, with branches punching through a bedroom roof (CBS Los Angeles). After a wind event, check the yard and roof edges even when no tree came down, since a dropped limb can crack tile and open decking without any sound inside.
Signs of tree damage you can see, and signs you cannot
Some damage is obvious from the yard. Some only shows from the attic.
| What you see | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| A hole or broken tile on the roof | Punctured covering, possibly cracked decking |
| A sagging ridge or dip in the roofline | Broken or displaced rafters |
| Cracks in a ceiling below the impact | Damaged ceiling joists or drywall |
| A gutter pulled away from the eave | Cracked fascia, loose rafter tails |
| Daylight in the attic | Open roof deck |
| Doors that stick after the fall | Framing may have shifted |
Gutters and fascia often take the first hit, and our fascia and soffit repair page covers what that looks like.
How we tarp, check and repair a roof after a tree hits it
- Make the area safe. We confirm the tree has been cut back and the structure is steady enough to work on.
- Tarp the opening. The tarp goes past the damage and is fastened to solid framing, so wind cannot lift it.
- Check the structure. We look in the attic for cracked rafters, broken decking and wet insulation.
- Document the damage. We take photographs and measurements for your records and your insurer.
- Write the repair estimate. It covers the covering, decking, framing and gutter work separately.
- Do the permanent repair. Broken framing is repaired first, then decking, underlayment and the roof covering.
Our emergency roof tarping page covers the temporary step in more detail. When the framing is cracked, structural roof repair is the next step.
Will insurance cover a tree on your roof?
Often the damage is covered, but the answer is in your policy. Many homeowners policies cover the house when a tree falls on it. Tree removal usually has its own limits, and coverage can depend on whose tree it was and why it fell. Ask your insurer before you decide anything.
For the roof, we can inspect, photograph the break, write up a repair estimate and stand at the roof when the adjuster comes. Discussions with the insurer belong to you or to a licensed public adjuster you hire. See our roof insurance claims page for details. For the step-by-step version, read our guide on what to do when a tree falls on your roof. Never agree to a plan that hides your deductible from the insurer.
Do repairs after a tree fall need a permit, and who checks the framing?
Cosmetic roof repairs seldom need much paperwork. Repairs that replace framing or large areas of roofing can. Rules depend on the address: the City of Los Angeles building department (LADBS) covers the city, and other cities run their own departments. Unincorporated areas such as Ladera Heights go through the county. The contract should say who pulls any permit.
Structural repairs may need an inspection before the ceiling is closed. CDI also advises against final payment before the building department signs off.
What affects the cost of tree damage roof repair?
Price follows the size of the opening and what lies beneath it. A puncture in shingle over solid decking is a modest repair. A broken rafter, a crushed ridge or a torn-off section of tile roof costs more because the framing, decking and covering all need work. Steep roofs, tile that must be lifted and gutter or fascia replacement add time. Tarping is priced separately from the permanent repair.
We put every price in writing after seeing the damage, so you can compare it with your insurer's estimate.
Why Clear Shield for tree on roof repair in Los Angeles
Reviewers in Van Nuys describe the habits that matter on storm jobs. One customer says the crew was ready to tarp right away. Another had a visit within the hour. A third had ridge vent and gutter work done after limbs came down in a storm, and another had plywood replaced after we explained it first.
What Van Nuys customers say about storm and emergency repairs
“They also performed a full water test afterward to make sure the leak was fully resolved, and everything stayed dry.”
“During the new roof installation, a small leak showed up after some seasonal rain, and Frederick and the crew responded right away, even on a Sunday morning, to fix it fast.”
“They also found hidden roof problems we had no idea about, including a poorly placed roof vent, fascia damage, and the need for bird-blocking protection.”
4.9 on Google · 69 reviews as of November 2026. Read all reviews
We cover Burbank, San Fernando, Ladera Heights and View Park-Windsor Hills. Older low-pitch roofs, like many in Burbank, often sit on aging decking that a heavy limb can crack. Limbs often come down in high wind, so see our wind damage roof repair page too. If the tree started a fire, or fire reached the roof, our fire damage roof repair page covers that case.
Fallen Tree Roof Damage: common questions
What do I do first if a tree falls on my roof?
Get everyone out of the damaged area and keep clear of the tree, which may still be under tension. If you see downed power lines, smell gas or hear the house creaking, leave and call 911. Do not climb onto the roof. Once it is safe, photograph the damage from the ground, call your insurer, and call us to book a tarping visit.
Who removes the tree, the roofer or a tree service?
A tree service removes the tree, and we repair the roof. The order matters. A heavy trunk may be holding up the damaged section, so the tree crew cuts it off in controlled pieces before we open the area. Once the weight is off, we tarp, check the framing and plan the repair. We can talk to the tree crew about the roof before they start.
Will insurance cover a tree on my roof?
It depends on your policy and what caused the fall. Many homeowners policies cover damage to the house from a falling tree, while limits often apply to removing the tree itself. Ask your insurer exactly what is covered and in what order. We can document the damage and write a repair estimate for the claim. Our insurance page explains who does what.
How big a hole can a Los Angeles roof tarp cover?
A professional tarp can cover most storm openings, including a large puncture, because it is stretched past the damage and strapped to solid framing. What matters is whether the framing under it can carry the weight and whether wind can get under the edge. We check both before closing it. Tarping is temporary and the permanent repair is a separate step.
Can a fallen palm frond or small limb really damage a tile roof?
Yes. A heavy palm frond or a limb dropped from height can crack concrete or clay tile, and cracked tile may not leak until the underlayment beneath it fails. Walk the yard after a Santa Ana wind event and look for broken tile pieces on the ground. If you find any, we will look at the roof before the next rain.
Does a tree on the roof mean the whole roof is damaged?
Not usually. Most impacts damage a limited area, such as decking, a rafter or a run of fascia. The question is how far the force traveled through the framing, which only an attic inspection answers. Sometimes the covering is repaired and sometimes the damage ties into an older roof that is better replaced. We explain the options and price them in writing.
Areas served for fallen tree roof damage
- Simi Valley, CALarge 1960s-90s tracts and hot inland summers, with hills on three sides; tree limbs and aged shingles are checked together after a wind event.
- La Verne, CAFoothill neighborhoods below the San Gabriel Mountains and a historic Old Town, where tall mature trees overhang older rooflines.
- Fontana, CAA logistics city of newer tracts far inland, east of Los Angeles, so a tarp visit has to be planned around the long drive.
- Vincent, CAUnincorporated, so any structural repair after a tree strike is permitted through LA County, and addresses split between Covina and Azusa.
- South Monrovia Island, CAA small county island between Monrovia, Duarte and Irwindale, so framing repairs follow county rather than city permitting.
- Florence-Graham, CAOlder single-family homes in unincorporated South LA, where decking and rafters from an earlier era are checked before the covering is repaired.
- Manhattan Beach, CAHigh-value coastal homes with salt exposure, where a repair after a limb strike also looks at corroded flashing, fasteners and gutters nearby.
- Garden Grove, CALarge postwar neighborhoods in central Orange County, a long drive from Van Nuys, where we plan tarp visits with the tree crew's schedule.
- Ladera Ranch, CAFirst-generation tile roofs built from about 1999 are maturing, and a falling limb can crack tile that has not yet needed repair.
- Ladera Heights, CA
- Burbank, CA
- San Fernando, CA
- View Park-Windsor Hills, CA
- Santa Barbara County, CA
- South San Jose Hills, CA
- La Palma, CA
- Hawaiian Gardens, CA
- Lake Los Angeles, CA
- Sun Village, CA
- Los Alamitos, CA
Need fallen tree roof damage?
Call and tell us what you are seeing on the roof. We will take it from there.