Repair costs can add up quickly; here’s who will foot the bill
Trees on power lines create serious electrocution and fire risks, so you need to stay clear and contact your utility company immediately for safe removal.
Professional tree removal costs average $750 per tree, and addressing fallen trees quickly helps prevent additional damage to electrical equipment and your property.
Your utility company handles trees on main power lines through easement access, but you're responsible for trees affecting your home's service line connections.
Hiring a local tree maintenance professional provides safe removal near electrical equipment, ensuring trained technicians handle the dangerous work while keeping your property protected.
Large trees pose serious hazards when they fall against vulnerable utility equipment like power lines. While power lines are sturdy, they aren’t designed to handle the weight of a tree. Overhead power lines are rarely insulated, so they can create electrocution and fire risks when damaged—as well as power surges and widespread outages. So, if a tree falls on power lines, who is responsible for cleaning it up? It’s usually the utility company, but our guide has all the details you need to know.
In most cases, utility companies are required by the National Electrical Safety Code to regularly maintain the trees around their power lines. Utility companies typically do seasonal checks and cut away tree limbs that are within 10 feet or so of power lines, which is how trees near the street get those telltale gaps. But that maintenance doesn’t always work, and sometimes storms or age will cause trees to fall against power equipment.
When this happens, it’s the responsibility of the power company to remove the tree and repair any damage to their equipment. If the tree was on your property, the utility usually has the right to access it via what’s known as a utility easement. This grants the power company the ability to enter parts of your property in order to maintain power lines and fix any problems that occur. You automatically agree to easements like this when you arrange to get electrical power to your house.
Be aware that the utility company usually won’t handle tree debris removal after the work is done. So if the downed tree was on your property, you could be stuck hauling away the wood.
As a homeowner, you may be responsible for a tree that has landed on your service lines, which are the wires that run from utility poles to your house. The utility company will sometimes handle this if it poses a public safety hazard. Otherwise, you’ll need to foot the bill to have the tree cut down safely.
Be aware that working near power lines is dangerous and puts you at risk of electrocution. So, any kind of tree clearing near power lines must be handled by trained technicians. Contact a local tree removal service and find out if they have the necessary experience to work near power lines. Don’t try any kind of cleanup on your own, even on your own property, until the pros have finished working and deem the area safe.
The cost of tree removal averages $750 per tree and may be covered by your homeowner’s insurance. You can help avoid unforeseen expenses by regularly maintaining the trees around your property. This will allow you to kill a diseased tree or one that’s growing in a problematic area early, before it has the chance to cause a bigger problem.
If your home borders on public land such as a park, and a tree on that public land falls against a power line, it’s your municipality’s responsibility to arrange for repairs. If you’re not totally clear where your property lines are, a plat map will show you where your personal property ends and public land begins.
Many government websites have numbers and online forms to report fallen trees and similar damage. Contact them promptly if a tree falls near your land, especially if it’s affecting power equipment.
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If you find a tree on a power line, you’ll need to call a professional to remove it immediately. Find out more about who to call in this situation.
Poorly-maintained trees on your property can be a safety hazard. Read up on the dangers of trees near power lines.
If a tree is growing on your property line, whose responsibility it? Here’s a handy guide to navigating tree care with your neighbors.
Are you unsure what to do or who to call if a tree falls on your house? Our guide covers all the essential steps.
Downed power lines are very dangerous. Stay safe by following these instructions if you ever encounter a downed power line.
Wondering who to call when a tree falls in the road? The answer varies for public and private roads—find out more with this guide.
