What To Do if a Tree Falls on Your Powerlines

Central Texas Storm Damage

Severe storms are becoming more common. With storms come high winds that can damage or fell trees. Learn what to do if a tree falls on your powerlines with these helpful tips.

Know the Location of Your Powerlines

Be prepared for storms and high winds by knowing where your powerlines are. Live lines that run over your yard and connect to your house can kill you or anyone who comes near them if they should fall. These power lines aren’t insulated, so any contact with the lines or trees and earth that are in contact with the lines can injure or kill you.

Inspect your property twice a year to determine if tree limbs are growing too close to power lines or extending over your house. Contact a professional arborist to safely trim trees and reduce the risk that they might fall on powerlines or your house.

Report Storm Outages

If your power goes out during a storm, call your electric utility company to report the outage. With any luck, your cellphone will be fully charged before the storm hits.

If a tree has fallen on your house, account for all residents. Call 911 to report the incident and get help for anyone who is injured. Follow emergency personnel’s instructions about how to stay safe until help arrives.

Downed trees that have become entangled in power lines are an electrocution and fire hazard. Your first responders will tell you what to do until they get there. Document the damage with photos and contact your homeowner’s insurance company to report the incident.

Report Visible Lines Down

If your power is still out when the storm subsides, stay inside. Look at your yard through your windows from inside the house to see if you have downed trees or branches. If you know where powerlines run over your property, you’ll be able to determine the likelihood that a fallen tree or branch may have taken out a power line. Call 911 and your electric utility to report probable lines down.

Do Not Attempt To Remove Downed Trees Yourself

Fallen trees are dangerous. They may have become entangled in power lines, causing sparks that can ignite a fire. The live wires entangled in branches can transmit an electric charge to the surrounding ground. Fallen trees are unstable and could shift and fall further.

Each year, people are severely injured or killed by electrocution when they attempt to trim or remove trees close to powerlines. Long pruners or ladders can accidentally come into contact with live lines and kill you. Don’t risk it.

After your electric utility responds to the downed lines and reattaches the power to your home, you may need to contact a licensed electrician to reattach your electric service from the utility attachment to your circuit box. When your electric utility has repaired lines and informed you it is safe to come outside, contact your tree service to remove downed branches and trees.

24X7 Emergency Tree Service

Good Morning Tree Service provides emergency tree service in Austin, TX and surrounding areas. We are available 24X7 to help you deal with a tree service emergency.

If you’re near our emergency service area, but not inside it – give us a call anyway. We might be able to help you out.