Sort Ere You Haul
After a hurricane, trash falls in kinds. Sort them at the curb. That is what gets your pile picked up, not skipped. Mobile storm rules use set splits:
- Green trash — trees, limbs, leaves — one pile
- Build trash — drywall, wood, roof bits, siding — one pile
- White goods — fridges, washers — apart
- Electronics — apart
- Bad waste — paint, chems, batteries — never in the main pile
Keep piles off the road. Keep them clear of plugs and wire boxes. Not under power lines. Do not bag limbs — crews need them loose for the claw.
What the City Hauls
After a big storm, the City of Mobile and Mobile County run trash pickup. They oft bring in help for the surge. Pickup tends to be for curb piles in the public strip. Watch mobilecountyema.gov and city posts for plans and rules. The Mobile Action Line at 311 takes trash questions from city folk.
Trees: The Risky Part
Fell trees are the one trash job that kills past the storm. A trunk on a house or in wires is not DIY. It is a job for a licensed, covered tree firm. All that touch wires is a job for Alabama Power first — 1-800-888-2726. Never cut near wires your own. Never saw alone, tired, or on a ladder. Storm-fell trees hold strain in ways that shock even old hands. Limbs kick back when cut.
Shoot trees before they go. Photo the tree on the house, the root ball, and the harm it made. Your insurer must see what the tree did, not just the stump left.
How It Works: A Cleanup Job
1. Shoot all. Trash on the house, in the yard, at the curb — before a thing moves. See our photo guide.
2. Make safe. Trees on homes and all near wires get pro care first.
3. Sort at curb. Green, build, white goods, electronics, bad waste — split piles, off the road.
4. Watch for city haul. Track MCEMA and city posts for haul plans.
5. Hire the rest. Firms haul what the city skips: back-yard trash, big build piles, rush jobs. Get a written price — per load or per job — before they start.
Hiring Tree and Haul Crews
Tree work over homes should come from licensed, covered tree firms. Ask for proof of cover. A fell limb through the next-door roof can turn to your bill chain. For plain hauls, get price in writing. Ask where trash goes — real haulers use approved dumps. And the storm rule holds: no full pay up front, no cash-only knocks. Our scam guide has the full list.
Bad Waste Done Right
- Keep paint, oil, and chems out of the main pile
- Watch county posts for bad-waste drop days
- Do not burn storm trash — fumes and fines
- Keep kids and pets from trash piles with nails and glass
Odd Finds in Storm Trash
Storm piles hide risks. Watch for:
- Nails and screws in boards — step in thick boots
- Glass shards from burst windows — sweep, do not grab
- Wet mats — heavy and moldy in days; bag or pile apart
- Old paint cans — lead risk in pre-1978 homes; do not burn or crush
- Dead beasts — call animal control, do not bare-hand
Help Your Block
- Clear storm drains on your street — flood water needs some place to go
- Check on old or lone neighbors before crews reach them
- Share gear: saws, tarps, and trucks go far on a hurt block
- Agree with close neighbors on pile spots so trucks can reach them
Burning Trash: Do Not
It is tempting to burn the pile. Do not. Burn bans often follow storms. Smoke chokes neighbors with breathing ills. Treated wood and old paint give off bad fumes. And a burn pile near dry trash is a second disaster. Haul it or wait for pickup.
Give, Do Not Dump
- Good wood and bricks: offer to neighbors who rebuild
- Working goods: give to aid groups, not the curb
- Metal: scrap yards pay for copper, aluminum, and steel
- Yard waste: some spots chip it free for mulch
Paper Trail for Trash
- Shoot each pile ere it moves — proof for the claim
- Keep haul bills with dates and load counts
- Note what the city took vs what you paid to haul
- Some policies pay debris haul — ask your adjuster
Stump Grinding After the Storm
Tree crews cut trunks low, but stumps stay. A stump grinder chews them to chips in under an hour per stump. Get grinding in the same visit as the cut — it costs less than a second trip. Chips make good mulch for beds once they age a few months. Mark stump spots with bright flags so the grinder crew finds each one in a single quick pass and bills you for just one trip.
Every project is different — contact us for a free written estimate.