When you purchase a home in the center of town, you will inevitably run into the subject of power lines. Power lines are an essential feature of any urban area, and you must pay attention to the tree growth in your yard if you happen to be near overhead lines.
Here at Five Star Tree Services, we have dealt with trees that have intruded on power lines or whose roots have taken over underground plumbing. When left unattended, these trees can result in accidents and will likely need removal, but with proper precautions, these accidents can easily be avoided. If your trees are not maintained through regular pruning, here are some of the issues you may face.
Wildlife Disruptions
Most trees will have at least one form of wildlife living among its branches. When your trees are close to power lines, the animals will also be closer to a live wire. Some wild animals will chew on the cables and disrupt the power. Others may even harm themselves when they come in contact with the power lines. Animals can increase the chances of a fire being sparked due to a damaged electrical line. This can even cause a local power outage. It’s important to pay attention to all animals or pests in your trees in your yard to prevent any disruption.
Open Current
Power lines don’t often snap, but when they do, you will need to be concerned about an open current. A lot of homeowners assume that when a power line goes down it is inactive and doesn’t pose a danger. Power lines should always be viewed as dangerous, especially when broken, snapped, or hanging free from their poles. Most power lines remain active even when damaged. The damaged line needs to be disabled by the city or the electrical company at the main junction. Broken or snapped power lines can transfer and open current any object within close vicinity. This includes fences, trees, or even parked cars.
If you notice a downed line, notify emergency services as soon as possible. If the downed line is the result of a fallen or encroaching tree, we will be able to remedy the problem and remove the tree once the power has been turned off.
Sudden Fires
One of the most common accidents caused by trees striking power lines is fires. When your trees touch a power line that has a live electrical current, the branches or leaves may cause a spark that can be enough to light a fire. Electricity may also jump from the wire to the tree without contact if the tree is close enough. Sadly, these types of fires are difficult to tame and have a tendency to spread rapidly.
If you have a tree or even a copse of trees that are nearing power lines, it’s important to have them trimmed on a regularly to avoid accidents.
How Five Star Tree Services Can Help
If you are worried about your trees are a little too close to power lines, our arborists here at Five Star Tree Services can help. We offer a wide range of tree care services, including tree removal and pruning, that will help to keep your property and loved ones safe. Give us a call at (416) 990-3355 to find out more about our rates and packages.