Another Use for a Chimney...

Tree deflector..... Probably would have crushed the garage otherwise. The smaller limb I think hit the chimney first. Nothing of immediate concern except a few small holes.

Didn't get up there yet to look down it but I can see daylight from the cleanout. Couple of small holes in the roof, the tops of two trusses are broke and some other minor damage. Have to wait until the snow melts to get full assessment.

Ya lucked out on that one. Funny how that one truss broke!

You don't see that every day! Hope the cost of repair is minimal. Good thing you had that chimney in the right spot.

Wow, that chimney did save you a lot of damage. Be sure to scab some repairs on the inside before you go walking around on the roof.

If you look at the first picture, it's to the left about 20 feet away from the chimney where the trusses are broke. Hard to see in the picture but there is three of them broke. Looks like the limb in the first picture I uploaded in first post hit the chimney, cracked off, slammed into the roof and then slid off the front. The rest of the tree slid off the back of the garage. I have one small limb clean punched through the roof almost on the other side of the garage.

Be sure to scab some repairs on the inside before you go walking around on the roof.

Not whole lot of damage inside near the chimney. Looks like most of it is external on the gable. It's just those three trusses broke and one of them is only cracked.

The part that concerns me is the truss in the last picture. If you step right there while on the roof, it's going to be real spongy. Just be careful on the roof.

Is the Van Wert still running?

Of course it's running, got a good look at the flue. Looks like just the top section of the liner took the hit. The section in this photo is solid and I don't see any cracks. Pushed off the loose pieces. I'll wait until the snow melts before investigating further. I don't know how to ski.