LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Uprooted trees and broken limbs can be seen scattered across Louisville after severe storms brought three tornadoes through Kentuckiana Wednesday afternoon.

When it comes to falling trees, experts say there are some steps homeowners can take and things to watch out for before their trees topple over.

A house off Central Avenue near Churchill Downs is a complete loss after a tree fell on it during Wednesday's storms. 

Arborist Tee Ray said there are a few reasons why certain trees, such as the one that fell onto the home off Central Avenue, can be a big problem in a storm. 

For Ray, the cause of that tree collapse is no mystery.

"This is where the curb was that was right down here," he said, pointing to the spot where the tree uprooted. "Restricted root space is what caused this tree to fail."

The rental property just one of many in need of storm cleanup that the Bob Ray Company will take on over the next few weeks.

"Going on for five weeks. We haven't slowed down a bit," said Ray, president of the Bob Ray Company. "We've had these three wind events, and it's taken its toll."

IMAGES | Damage and debris from Louisville and surrounding areas after violent storms

Communities from Corydon, Indiana to Brandenburg, Kentucky spent Thursday cleaning up from the high winds and tornadoes from Wednesday night. 

The arborist said in older Louisville neighborhoods, like the one near Churchill Downs, trees that can grow upwards of 100 feet tall were planted along sidewalks, and now don't have enough soil space. That prevents roots from growing outward, unable to grow beneath the street.

"These trees should've never been planted here," he said. "But that was done 80 to a hundred years ago, we know better now."

Beyond the lack of space for roots, Ray said decay and trunk splits can also weaken trees.

"We've got a lot of moisture in the soil, which is adding to that," he said. "And these high winds and these trees that are this big, there's 15 tons of tree standing up there."

In this case, a neighbor told WDRB News that the woman inside the home was not hurt when the tree came down.

Ray recommends homeowners get their trees checked over by a certified arborist to ensure it's healthy and growing safely.

But to avoid these catastrophes in the first place, Ray's advice is pretty simple.

"All this can be prevented by putting the right plant in the right spot," he said.

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