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What should I do about tree branches on the roof?


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What should I do about tree branches on the roof?

Tree branches can cause damage to homes

A slowly creaking tree branch in the night: it could be the soundtrack to a horror movie, but instead it’s your bedroom, home office, or your child’s room. Tree branches on the house can be very annoying, and even scary. You may wonder, “Why is my tree always making noise?”

Some creaking or groaning is normally, especially in windy conditions, but constant noise may indicate a problem.  You may also wonder if your home or family is at risk from big tree limbs on the roof on or over your roof. Tree branches on gutters, eavestroughs, shingles and skylights can be loud and cause damage. Though most long branches aren’t at risk of falling or breaking on a healthy tree, it’s good to have them checked by a professional arborist and trimmed back.

Depending on the size of the tree branches and their location, overgrown tree branches may make a lot of creaking noises. They can rub against roofs, siding, gutters or skylights. An arborist can climb the tree to determine find any damage to your house, roof, or skylight, and prune or trim back the branches.

Squirrels on roof of house with solar panels 

Other Reasons For Concern

Aside from the noise, there are other reasons for concern. Tree branches touching the roof can scrape against shingles in windy weather, causing your shingles to deteriorate over time. Deciduous tree branches close to your roof can lead to buildup of leaves on the roof or gutters becoming clogged with leaves. Leaf buildup which can cause mould or deterioration and extra cleanup in the fall. Squirrels and raccoons can even use tree limbs on or near your roof as a highway across your house!

Branches on siding can also cause damage or mould, while branches on skylights could cause the skylight to break, especially in the case of a falling branch. Branches covering your windows or skylights may also interfere with your views and light levels in your home.

Will tree limbs fall on my home?

If the affected tree branches are suffering from damage or disease, then your home may be at greater risk from a falling branch. A thunderstorm, ice storm or strong winds could cause a branch to break and land on your home. As summer or winter storm seasons approach, overhanging tree limbs need maintenance to avoid the possibility of breakage.

In the summer of 2020, the City of Toronto and the GTA had a lot of summer storms and tree damage. Summer 2021 is predicted to be very hot and stormy by the Farmers Almanac.  Hazardous branches should be dealt with by a professional to minimize risk to your home and family in poor weather conditions. Regular pruning also ensures your tree is healthy and looking its best.

Arborist in scarborough trimming tree after storm damage

Tree branches can become damaged over time due to disease, pests, previous storm damage, or weight. Lack of pruning, water or fertilization can also cause your tree to weaken. A tree that was originally planted too close to the house may decline in health as it grows, and a building constructed too close to an existing tree can become unhealthy and weakened.

Trees should ideally be at least 3-6 metres (10-20 feet) from houses. Noise from branches rubbing together can also be hazardous for the tree, causing bark to wear away and resulting in wounds on the tree, which leaves it more vulnerable to pests and disease.

Branches From Neighbour’s Tree Hitting House

What if the tree overhanging your house isn’t your tree, but a neighbour’s? Municipal bylaws allow you to prune trees located on a neighbouring property that are causing a hazard to your own property, so long as any tree work is conducted without damaging the tree or trespassing. It’s best if you are able to discuss the issue with your neighbour, as the City of Toronto recommends, and you’ll want to ensure the branch removal or pruning is conducted by a certified arborist to avoid damage to your neighbour’s property (the tree).

Trimming Trees Over Your House

Once you’ve found a qualified tree care professional to assess your tree, an arborist will determine the source of the tree branch noise or rustling and be able to cut back branches so that they’re no longer touching the building, leaving enough space that new growth won’t affect your home in the next few years. The pruning cost will depend on how much of the tree needs to be removed and how difficult your tree is to access. A very high roof or tight space can result in a more difficult pruning job.

And then, sit back, relax, and enjoy a night free of the horror movie-like sounds of creaking branches against your roof!

Need a professional to help silence noisy trees next to your home? Contact Vista Tree for a free consultation.

author avatar
Michael Co-Founder
Michael is a Certified Arborist and founder of the company. He holds a Certificate in Urban Arboriculture (Honours) from Humber College, Certificate in Project Leadership from Cornell, has post-graduate studies in Urban Forestry and Arboriculture from Oregon State College of Foresty and holds a BAH in Ancient History with a minor in Business. In addition to being an ISA Certified Arborist, he is a TCIA Certified Tree Safety Professional, Tree Appraisal Qualified by Arboriculture Canada and holds a Landscape Exterminator license. Michael sat on the Board of Director for the Ontario Commercial Arborist Association in 2022 and 2023. He worked at some of the top arboriculture companies in Southern Ontario before starting Vista Tree Management. Before that, he was an award-winning Executive Director in the nonprofit sector and published marketing consultant. On the rare days off, Michael can be found at home with his family - a loving wife, two daughters and two cats in Central Toronto.
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James and his team from Vista tree services were extremely professional, they arrived on time, completed the job of trimming my large oak tree, cleaned up the area, worked with all safety personnel protection equipment and were very friendly to deal with. i would highly recommend their services.
google
THRILLED with the work done by James and the team at Vista! Detailed responsiveness, and a wonderful team!
After buying a house on a ravine, we were at a loss for what to do with trees/shrubs/etc., that had not been managed for decades (seriously). It was a mess.

We couldn’t be more pleased with the results: our ravine looks beautiful and wild, healthy AND manicured, yet still “natural”. We WILL be recommending Vista to our friends and neighbours, and look forward to a continued relationship with this excellent team.

Thanks for the great work! Thanks for the GREAT cleanup. Thank you, thank you..
google
Simply not professional .
They have no concerns about timelines and seem to have little interest in expediting anything.
Forget attempting to expedite anything they will not even file documents in an expediant mater.
They have no respect for your time they pull the same crap Bell Canada pulls and demand that you sit at the site for the afternoon without a specific appointment time. This really speaks for itself when a company hold themselves above their customers.
Once you contract with them you are at their mercy and ypu may like me just end up needing to find a professional firm.
Lasting having parted way i now finally have my permit and my tree will come down nxt business day. It would be weeks more with them. They simply think this is all about themselves.
google
Simply not professional .
They have no concerns about timelines and seem to have little interest in expediting anything.
Forget attempting to expedite anything they will not even file documents in an expediant mater.
They have no respect for your time they pull the same crap Bell Canada pulls and demand that you sit at the site for the after without a specific appointment time.
Once you contract with them you are at their mercy and ypu may like me just end up needing to find a professional firm.
google
James came to remove a tree adjacent to our property that was quite sick and unstable. We wanted him meticulously remove it over a two day period and James was nothing but professional and thorough! He also did his best to clean up the scene. Highly recommend!
google
Recommended from someone in my neighborhood. Quick follow up as well as on-site visit. Very professional and thorough walk through of work options. Completed within a few days of quoting and a great job all around.
google
Great, fast and reliable service, I have used Vista for both trimming and tree removal, they have a hard working and super friendly crew, we are very satisfied with their services
google
I was very pleased with their service. We received helpful advice and the crew who pruned the tree was great. They had to carry all the cuttings through the house which they did without dropping a twig. Everyone was friendly and professional throughout.
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Overall I am satisfied with the work done by James May and his crew. I will definitely call on them again to work on another tree in my backyard.
google
I am beyond delighted with the work done by this company at my home to prune a very large mulberry tree located in my backyard that was impacting the sunlight on our Swimspa.

I received a clear and concise quote from James May who suggested additional pruning to what I asked for and his recommendation was spot on.
His crew were extremely professional and did a superb job taking care not to damage several blooming Rose of Sharon trees below the large limbs of the mulberry. Their cleanup was impeccable and I highly recommend this firm.
google
Vista Tree's motto is "We are committed to building a strong and positive relationships through service excellence." They truly live up to this. James May is such a professional guy, he spoke to my neighbours before, during and after - all phases of the work to ensure they were aware of the dead tree removal at our property, and the work might impact theirs'.
The team made sure to complete the work on time, and clean up.
Would recommend 100%.
Kudos to James and his team!!!
google
Rosedale job with a tree hanging over multiple properties and worries about neighbors. They did a great job!!
google
The whole experience was excellent, from estimate visit, quote, scheduling, and watching two professionals eliminate so many problems with bushes and trees around my property. The care and concerns for me and the trees were wonderful.
google
James and his team from Vista Tree are absolutely fantastic. From start to finish, they demonstrated professionalism and expertise. We had a dead tree on our property that needed to be removed, along with the stump. James and his crew handled the task efficiently and with great care.

They arrived on time, which is something we greatly appreciated, and worked diligently until the job was completed. Not only did they remove the tree and stump, but they also ensured that the entire area was cleaned impeccably afterward. Our property looked spotless, as if no tree had ever been there.

The team’s attention to detail and commitment to quality service truly set them apart. I would highly recommend James and Vista Tree to anyone in need of tree services. They exceeded our expectations in every way, making what could have been a stressful experience remarkably smooth and worry-free.

Thank you, James and Vista Tree, for your outstanding work!

Frank
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I had the pleasure of working together with James @ Vista Tree Management. My experience with them is simple, they were honest, informative and over the top helpful to our family throughout this process from beginning to end. We had a huge Manitoba Maple tree fall suddenly in our yard. James responded to our request rapidly and was able to sight the down tree. A quote was provided to remove the destruction along with the remaining unsafe portions of trees still standing. The challenging part for our family was not so much removing the down tree but to remove what we felt was the unsafe reminder of the tree still standing. Thier expert knowledge and information provided lead to us making connections and follow the proper processes with the City and was successful in expediting the permit process require. We are very grateful to have had such a knowledgeable company on our side during this unsettling difficult time. Thank you to James and his crew who worked diligently today at our home in extreme heat conditions. We appreciate you all. We highly recommend Vista Tree Management not only for their ability to get the job done but for their professionalism and unmatched customer service. Thank you again to James and your crew
google
The crew did a great job! They were quick and professional and did exactly what we were looking to have done. It was a job done well at a very reasonable price. I would definitely hire them again and I will certainly refer them to friends and family!
google
James and his team did an excellent job trimming my Walnut and other trees on my property. They removed all the branches and tidied up very nicely before they left. I will absolutely use Vista Tree Management again.
google
Michal was very pleasant to deal with during the quoting process and he conveyed the most knowledge from the 3 companies I approached. James and his crew did an excellent job with the removal of two trees and pruning of a large Manitoba Maple that totally covered my deck. Great to see sunlight again! James is very friendly and also knowledgeable. When the work was completed we did a walk through and he thoroughly explained what they did. The clean up was also fantastic.
Thanks very much!
google
VISTA do good work. I've used then for clients and all work gets done on time with an industry competitive budget. Their customers service is always excellent as well
google
Showed up on time. Scoped the work with us. Cleaned up nicely. Decent price. We will use them again.
google
Had great experience with Vista Tree for pruning of our tree. Super quick response to seamless execution. Highly recommend!
google
James was extremely helpful in helping us get the right tree for our backyard and was very friendly and professional
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Outstanding Service! The arborist who came to provide an estimate gave very helpful with suggestions on how we should proceed to trim a very large tree - keeping in mind privacy with neighbours and ensuring shade over our home in the summer. He even took photographs to mark up to guide the crew coming to do the work. The crew showed up as scheduled and did its work very efficiently and we were extremely pleased with the results. Very reasonable pricing - great value for the money. Vista Tree Management will be my one and only supplier of these services in the future.
google
Vista Tree Management provided an excellent service of removing a large tree from a backyard of my property in Toronto. The whole process of quoting, and doing the job was very efficient, clearly explained and provided as promised. Their price for the serviced was very competitive.
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My parents used their service to cut a tree down in their backyard. This tree was in such an awkward position where it was interfering with 2 other neighbors. James ensured me that the service would be done in a very professional manner and no damage would be done. Im glad to say he was right and had a group of 6 hard working individuals made the job done safely and efficiently. I would highly recommend this company for anyone needing tree removal.
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Everything went smooth, from the initial assessment visit to the email communication to the job getting done! Thank you guys for your professionalism and quality work!!
google
Vista is an excellent company to deal with. The owners went above and beyond expectations to help deal with a unique situation. The guys who did the work were not only professional but also very polite. I will be using them again to help with other work in the future.
google
We are very happy with all the work Vista Tree Management accomplished on our property.  James was very professional and gave us excellent advice concerning the trimming of our 12 foot cedar hedges and the pruning of our mature silver maple trees.  The crew was very friendly and hard working, they did a tremendous job on the work required and they did an excellent job with the clean up.  We would highly recommend Vista Tree services to our family and friends.  We will definitely use them again for all of our future projects.
John & Sonja
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They just did my front lawn, and boy, did they leave a lasting impression!

They were straightforward with the plan - clear and precise, ensuring that I was well informed of the process and outcome. The execution was meticulous and exceeded my expectations. Moreover, the cleanliness post-service was remarkable, leaving no trace of debris or disruption.

They were on time and was the epitome of friendly and cheerful—felt like I had friends over for a garden party!

Overall, their service was excellent at every stage. The inquiry, consultation, customer support, day-of service, follow-up, and payment process were all seamless.

I had peace of mind and very happy with Vista. I highly recommend them to those in need of reliable and thorough tree management service.
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I can’t say enough positive comment about James and Vista Tree. We were “ghosted” by 2 other tree management companies last fall. James came by and provided separate quotes for two very large trees on our property, both of which were a challenge to severely prune. They were a hazard and had to be addressed. The quotes were delivered the next day after assessment. The team was here on two separate days (April 30 and May 7). They were efficient, professional and most importantly safe. Hollis, the arborist who climbed the trees was friendly and communicated everything he was doing to the trees as well as any changes he made once he was up in the tree. The other members of the crew (Syd and Pete, I can’t remember the others) were professional and friendly. They cleaned everything up and were open to any suggestions we had regarding disposal of the wood. I would highly recommend this company. We will be having them back again to do more work, in the fall.
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Leaside neighbours take note!! Exceptional and professional service from start to finish. The team at Vista Tree Management responded to an urgent and critical situation. They were efficient, skilled and courteous. They handled the tree removal with precision and left our backyard immaculate. I highly recommend this team for your tree removal needs. They beat the competition by $1000+
google
James and his team did a great job pruning and trimming our old silver maple. James answered all my questions, provided expert advice and had his team do the work shortly after. The workers were professional, cleaned the space well, and were really efficient. Would definitely recommend Vista Tree management!
google
James was great! Very professional and you can definitely tell he knows what he’s talking about. They provided a quote in a timely manner booked us in for the tree pruning within a few days afterwards. The job was done quickly, professionally and the crew was friendly and polite. They cleaned up everything once the work was completed. Highly recommend!
google
Safe, fast, personable team - did a great job with tree trimming and removal! Note: the removal of a tree was not on the original scope and they still made it happen!
By the end of the day, I wouldn’t have even known they were there.
google
Very Happy with the professional advice and service we received from Vista which was promptly done. The follow-up to ensure we were happy with the work was appreciated.
google
Highly recommend! Michal came by first to take a look at things and provide the estimate. He’s obviously passionate about what he does and I learned a ton about my tree that I had no idea about! He gave me the confidence I needed to schedule the work. James and the “J-Crew” arrived on the scheduled day and were super friendly. The team did an amazing job with trimming my large overgrown maple and a fantastic cleanup job. My yard looked better than before they arrived. Will definitely have them back for future maintenance! Thanks Vista!
google
Great service from a great crew of people! The team was amazing from consulting on best ways to tackle the project, safely removing the trees and making sure the job was done to satisfaction. Would highly recommend and definitely use them again.
google
These guys are incredibly professional and by far the best arborist that have visited our home. And we've had many!

What impressed me the most was throughout their only concern was safety for my family and our property. With that and that only in mind they made all the cuts and changes that were required. When they left, I felt the most relief I felt about the trees in our backyard in a long time.

Truly appreciate your hard work and will highly recommend you in the future!

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