In the wake of a powerful East Tennessee storm, the landscape can look like a war zone. For homeowners in Loudon, Knox, and Blount Counties, the sight of a massive White Oak sprawled across a roof or a tangled mess of hickory limbs blocking a driveway triggers an immediate, visceral reaction: get it out of here.
It is in this moment of vulnerability—when adrenaline is high and the sound of chainsaws fills the air—that "Storm Chasers" arrive. They often appear within hours of the clouds clearing, knocking on doors with out-of-state plates and promises of "immediate removal at a low price."
But in the tree care industry, speed and low cost are often the two most dangerous words a homeowner can hear. Hiring a storm chaser is not just a gamble with your money; it’s a direct risk to your property’s structural integrity, your personal liability, and the long-term health of your landscape.
A "storm chaser" is a transient contractor who follows severe weather patterns across the country. They are not local business owners; they are opportunists. Unlike a local firm like Pree's Trees, which has spent over 20 years building a reputation in Greenback and the surrounding counties, storm chasers have no "anchor" to the community.
One of the most significant risks of hiring an unverified storm chaser involves your homeowner's insurance policy. Many storm chasers claim they "work with insurance" or will "get the job covered 100%."
The Reality: If a contractor overcharges for a removal (a common tactic called "price gouging"), your insurance company may refuse to pay the full invoice, leaving you legally responsible for the balance. Worse, if the storm chaser lacks Workers’ Compensation and General Liability Insurance, any further damage they cause to your home—or any injury they sustain on your property—could fall directly on your shoulders.
"In Tennessee, if an uninsured worker falls off your roof or is injured by a chainsaw on your property, you, the homeowner, could be held liable for their medical bills and lost wages. A 'cheap' tree removal can quickly turn into a six-figure legal battle."
Storm damage removal is far more complex than standard tree work. In an emergency, trees are often under extreme tension or compression. One wrong cut can cause a trunk to "barber-chair" (split vertically) or snap back with lethal force.
Storm chasers often lack the advanced rigging equipment and physics-based training required for high-risk removals. Without the use of specialized cranes, friction brakes, and load-stabilizing ropes—tools that a Certified Arborist uses daily—a storm chaser may accidentally drop a limb on your power lines, your HVAC unit, or a section of the roof that was actually undamaged.
Not every tree hit by a storm needs to be removed. However, a storm chaser's only tool is a chainsaw, and their only product is removal. They have a financial incentive to tell you that every leaning tree is a "death trap" that must come down.
A Certified Arborist from Pree's Trees performs a Hazardous Tree Assessment. We look for:
Storm chasers often perform "lion's tailing" (stripping the interior branches) or improper "topping" to make a job look finished quickly. These practices catch the wind like a sail and actually make the tree more likely to fail in the next storm.
When you choose a local, accredited expert, you aren't just paying for a tree to disappear. You are paying for a long-term partnership in your property’s safety.
Our President, Ben Hazel, and Production Manager, Ryan Wells, are ISA Certified Arborists. This means their methods are backed by the International Society of Arboriculture. We don't guess; we calculate. We understand the biology of East Tennessee species like the White Oak and the Sugar Maple, and we know exactly how much stress they can handle.
We invest in state-of-the-art equipment designed for "low impact." While a storm chaser might drive a heavy truck across your rain-soaked lawn, leaving permanent ruts and compacting the soil (which kills tree roots), we use specialized loaders and mats to protect your landscape.
We live here. Our children go to school here. We have an A+ rating with the BBB because we are still here to answer the phone three years after the storm. If we install a Cabling and Support system to save a historic tree, we provide the ongoing inspections necessary to ensure it remains safe.
If a storm hits your Greenback or Knoxville property, follow these steps to avoid the "Storm Chaser" trap:
Your trees are among the most valuable assets on your property. They provide shade, privacy, and aesthetic beauty that takes decades to grow but only minutes to destroy. Don't let a "Storm Chaser" turn a natural disaster into a financial and environmental one.
Trust the experts who know East Tennessee soil, weather, and trees. Trust Pree's Tree Specialists to handle the crisis with the precision, safety, and integrity your home deserves.
For a professional hazardous tree assessment or emergency storm response in Loudon, Knox, or Blount County, contact Pree's Trees today at 865-408-0615.