Fallen trees and branches due to severe weather and other factors are one of the leading causes of electric power outages in the United States.
To prevent outages, trees around lines will need to be pruned back to promote healthy growth, “train” the trees to grow away from the line, and keep the area safe.
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But what about trees and power lines around your home or business? Here is what you need to know about power lines and your trees:
Know What Trees You Are Responsible For
When it comes to preventing trees from coming into contact with power lines, it is your responsibility to know what trees you are and are not responsible for maintaining.
Your utility company is responsible for pruning trees in right of ways and easements, while you are responsible for what is known as the service drop—the electric line that runs from the main power line to your home.
If you see limbs in power lines, do not attempt to remove them yourself. Call the power company and they will send a professional team to remove the limbs.
Put The Right Tree In The Right Place
Responsible placement of your trees is important when planting new trees or shrubs around your business. To prevent disruptions to your service and the service of your neighbors, plant utility friendly trees in the right place.
Large trees such as oaks, maples, and hickories should be placed further away from lines (at least 45 feet) while medium to small trees and shrubs 15-25 feet away.
Avoid fast growing trees such as silver maple and callery pear, which have softer wood and are more prone to breakage. Instead, choose slower growing trees like oaks that have a harder wood, are stronger, and live longer.
Before you dig to plant a new tree, always call 811. A crew will come to your home for free to mark out underground utility lines so you may dig safely.
Get Your Tree’s Professionally Pruned
For the pruning and maintenance of trees around power lines that you are responsible for, always hire a professional tree care service.
Never attempt to trim trees back from power lines yourself! Tree care is a dangerous industry and our ISA Certified arborists are trained to correctly and safely prune your trees. For trees that are around your power lines, we will contact your utility company so they can temporarily disconnect the line so the trees can be safely trimmed back.