Trees growing into my power lines

[harold14370]

I am beginning to get concerned about the trees growing up into my power lines. The lines come into my house from a pole across the public road and up the road a little ways so that they cross over the corner of my neighbor's property. His pine trees are growing up into the lines. I asked him if I could cut them and he said no. I also have a fairly sizable maple that is growing up in between the power lines and the neighbor's row of pine trees. This might be a problem to fell away from the lines because the pines would tend to prop it up and make it fall sideways, and the branches would catch the lines on the way down. A pro could probably do it but I would be afraid of hitting the lines doing it myself.

I am thinking I will have to put a new pole on my property to move the power and phone lines away from the neighbor's trees. While the lines are being moved, I could cut down the maple. Does this sound like a plan, or is there a better alternative? Should I expect the power company to put the pole in, or is it my responsibility?

 

[Ekka]

Here's a great piece of documentation from our energy people.

http://www.energex.com.au/switched_on/pdfs/EG1906_2.pdf

Funny how common sense is so hard to find and usually challenged by arrogance with a dash of ignorance.

Good luck.

 

[Grizzly]

Was that a ahnd out from your kids school?
I know that if I had kids and there was a career day, I would pass that out for an activity.

 

[woodcutter 5429]

if you have no climbing or limbing experiance then call the power company and im sure they will send someone out. if you dont feel comfortable doinf=g it yourself.....DON'T. otherwise i recommend limbing it and controlling the fall with the use of wedges if need be. i emphasize that if you are not 100% confident that you can do it without hitting lines, call the power company and im sure they will send someone out.

 

[sawinredneck]

Welcome to AS!!

Now to adress you're problem, think about/look into going underground with you're power lines. It will most likely cost about the same as moving them, and a lot less headaches in the long run.
Andy

 

[Ekka]

Hey Grizzly

I think a lot of people have to use that cut and paste idea for it to sink in. lol

Errr, 80' tree planted under 30' lines!!!

 

[Grizzly]

I under stand, but even some experience landscape designers plant palms and pine trees under power lines; even after they removed them.

 

[1wildthing]

around here if there is a tree near a power line the power comany will cut it down, or trim it for free. Even if it's your neighbor's tree. They will look at it, and if they feel it is a potential problem, they will fix it.

 

[tbst]

So the trees are after the transformer? Because here anything after the transformer is your problem.

 

[harold14370]

I called the power company and indeed they said it was my problem, though they offered to come out and give me an estimate. As far as my neighbor's trees in my power lines are concerned, the power company is no help there either. It's between me and my neighbor. I guess I'll call a couple of electrical contractors and get some estimates.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

What exactly is the problem? So what if the service line touches the trees?
They do make plastic wire protectors if you're worried about friction wearing the insulation off the wire.
If you're worried about the tree, a little wire rubbing shouldn't hurt it.
Moving the pole is an option, one pole costs about $1500, or you could go underground, depending on the distance, that might be cheaper.
Cutting roots kills trees more than cutting branches.
We call the electric company all the time to have them drop the service line temporarily, while we cut the trees. Then they re-connect the line, all for free. The homeowner is out of power for a few hours and then it's back to normal.

 

[dakota]

They do make plastic wire protectors if you're worried about friction wearing the insulation off the wire.
If you're worried about the tree, a little wire rubbing shouldn't hurt it.
.

That insulation-like black stuff on service drops is not insulation, it's more like a weather guard.

We recently had a service drop taken down for a removal and while the lineman was rolling up the drop, it popped and shot pretty blue sparks around him. He darn near jumped out of his skin.

The weather guard had worn somewhere right around where it crossed paths with the aforementioned tree.


Harold - If you're worried about that service drop have it checked out by a professional.

 

[harold14370]

Mike, there is no problem now, but there is chance the trees will eventually come down in a wind storm and take out my power and phone lines at an inopportune time, possibly creating a hazard.

Taking the power lines down temporarily sounds like a good idea if we are only talking about my tree, but wouldn't solve the problem of the neighbor's that he won't let me cut.

Could it really be cheaper to go underground if I have to dig a trench across the public road?

 

[mpatch]

Make sure they are powerlines. When I used to trim for lines everyday some homeowner would come out and be all worried about the lines and nearly all of the time it was cable or phone which alomost never need or get trimmed.

 

[Grizzly]

What exactly is the problem? So what if the service line touches the trees?
They do make plastic wire protectors if you're worried about friction wearing the insulation off the wire.
If you're worried about the tree, a little wire rubbing shouldn't hurt it.
Moving the pole is an option, one pole costs about $1500, or you could go underground, depending on the distance, that might be cheaper.
Cutting roots kills trees more than cutting branches.
We call the electric company all the time to have them drop the service line temporarily, while we cut the trees. Then they re-connect the line, all for free. The homeowner is out of power for a few hours and then it's back to normal.

It's not a matter of trusting that the tree won't snap in a storm and take out the entire block of power, but it would be unnessacarry maintenance if the tree you put under a 30' tall power line and the evpected growth of it was infanite. you know what I mean? If you want floiage, put a low berring hedge that wont grow 20' tall and can take the beating of pedestrians and car exaust.

 

[Grizzly]

Make sure they are powerlines. When I used to trim for lines everyday some homeowner would come out and be all worried about the lines and nearly all of the time it was cable or phone which alomost never need or get trimmed.

???? Is the power lines below the cable in WI?
Here in Ca. asplunt clears the power lines but not the internet or the cable supply.

How do you line a gig with a utility Co. and how do you price it out; is it per tree, per mile or mass between the poles? I need some insight on that acpect of this industry. We're growing slowly but surely.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Mike, there is no problem now, but there is chance the trees will eventually come down in a wind storm and take out my power and phone lines at an inopportune time, possibly creating a hazard.

Taking the power lines down temporarily sounds like a good idea if we are only talking about my tree, but wouldn't solve the problem of the neighbor's that he won't let me cut.

Could it really be cheaper to go underground if I have to dig a trench across the public road?

If you visually inspect the trees, you may be able to spot problems. If a storm comes that knocks over healthy trees, there's a good chance the power will get knocked out up the road anyway.
It's not fair for you to ask the neighbor to remove a healthy tree because some event might knock them over.
My neighbor ran his service line underground and they used a Hammer Head Mole so as not to damage roots. These work to go under roads too.
Any option will be expensive, under ground, moving poles, or removing trees. The risk and consequences are so minor, I recommend you try to ignore the situation.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

???? Is the power lines below the cable in WI?
Here in Ca. asplunt clears the power lines but not the internet or the cable supply.

Transmission lines are on top, then service lines, then phone, and cable is at the bottom.
The power company only clears transmission lines, and will do service line drops for free. All else you need to hire out.

 

[mpatch]

???? Is the power lines below the cable in WI?
Here in Ca. asplunt clears the power lines but not the internet or the cable supply.

How do you line a gig with a utility Co. and how do you price it out; is it per tree, per mile or mass between the poles? I need some insight on that acpect of this industry. We're growing slowly but surely.

No the power is on top but since we trim service drops a lot of times the phone/cable run from a different pole so homeowners get confused. I am pretty sure all line clearance contracts must be bid. Get the map of what you will be bidding on then drive/walk and look at the lines and figure it out. Then you must give a hourly rate for extra work (storms).

 

[Yellowdog]

We call the electric company all the time to have them drop the service line temporarily, while we cut the trees. Then they re-connect the line, all for free. The homeowner is out of power for a few hours and then it's back to normal.

Around here the electric coop will trim the trees off the lines and chip them too. I have used them when there were trees that were too close for comfort and let them handle the hazard tree. Never thought about having them drop the service line for a few hours.