Who Is Responsible For Power Line From Pole To House

Oftentimes we’ve seen that during any natural calamities or for other reasons we get confused about whom to call for the electric connections or the maintenance or repair. But you must know which things are your responsibility and which have to be done by the utility company or otherwise you will be in a mess in case of emergencies. 

When it comes to the responsibility of the power line that comes from the pole to the house it has to be maintained by the homeowner as the line is now on their property and if any general issue like electric wires getting twisted by tree branches they have to clear that out by calling an electrician. But when the issue is severe they should call their utility company immediately. 

Who Is Responsible For Power Line From Pole To House, So that means there are many loopholes when it comes to the electric supply and connection and every homeowner must pay attention to that so they can avoid any hidden charges or fines. 

Who Is Responsible For Power Line From Pole To House

In the old times, power-generating companies were only capable to serve their local areas. Electricity didn’t have far to travel between where it was created and used. Since then things have evolved enormously and most of us get our electricity from the grid, huge interconnected areas of power suppliers, and users. As power plants grew larger and further away from the populated areas the need for ways to efficiently move electricity over long distances has become more and more important. 

Stringing power lines across the landscape to link cities to power plants may seem easy as connecting an extension cord to an outlet but the engineering behind these electric superhighways is more complex than you can imagine. In the same way, their distribution rights, authorities, and area of responsibilities have also evolved a great deal.

The electric distribution is no longer controlled by the central government but rather distributed to many second and third parties. For an area, the main electric pole and its maintenance is a concern of the municipality, the line that divides from there and enters our house is the responsibility of the secondary utility companies and other service companies or their parties. And when the wiring enters your property it becomes your responsibility too. That means there are many loopholes that any homeowner must be aware of in case of maintenance issues. 

So when the power line needs to be injected into a certain house it is usually done by the utility company of that respected area and they own the right of that connection. So it means the connections can also go through your property and they own those easements. But not the property itself. You will be the sole owner of your property and the electric wirings will be controlled by those utility companies. 

That means when the power line is connected to your house you will be eventually responsible for its maintenance and in severe cases the utility company will take charge. The utility company will only own the easement of the towers and the wirings and you will be the property owner only. 

What Is The Lowest Power Line? 

• When there is an electric pole outside there will be a ta k hanging on the pole which is called the transformer which steps the voltage down
• There will be thick wires coming from the top in different sections. The top wires give around 7200 volts and the lowest wires provide around 240 bolts which are specifically for the household use 
• So when you see the lowest wire it is supplying electricity to the  telephone line at your house
• Generally, these are your communication wires like telephone or cable 

Who Is Responsible For Low Hanging Power Lines 

You may have noticed an electric tank hanging on the pole outside the house with a transformer which is there to step the voltage down. Usually, all the high voltage wires are on the top and the low voltage ones are at the bottom. So if you see those electric wires coming down to your house so low that they can be touched with hands or they are hanging on the branches, then this is not good for several reasons. 

Like one of these branches can cause the line to fall as just as possible as these branches can start wearing away at the insulation of these wires and can create short circuits. Occasionally you will see that the power company comes out or sometimes subcontracted services come through in the neighborhood to clear the lines. 

So anytime you notice a problem with your sec ice drip or wiring getting too low that can be disastrous, the best course of action to take is to contact your local utility company and let them send someone out there to at least evaluate the situation. That way they will solve it themselves or may refer you to an electrician. It all depends on the local utility company that you’re under in certain circumstances. 

Who Is Responsible For Overhead Power Lines 

The technical definition of overhead power lines is called the service drop. Meaning anytime we find issues with the service drop the number one question that boggles our mind is who is responsible for those lines or who takes care of that? Do you call an electrician or a power company? 

• This urgency occurs for two main things that we see happening; number one,  if your tree branches touch up your overhead power lines. This is a really easy answer. If the trees are located or if the overhead power lines touching trees are the lines going from pole to pole, that’s the responsibility of the utility company. They take care of the maintenance without any change and you’re good! 

And if the power lines are going from pole to the house that’s the responsibility of the homeowner and the way they phrase it, it is the holder’s responsibility to maintain the vegetation on those properties. Plain and simple! So if you’ve got trees in your yards that are touching your power lines that are your responsibility.

• Another issue with the overhead power line is the exposed connectors. As the power line comes in it’s going to connect to the mast-head or it’ll connect to the house somewhere and then it’ll kind of drop down in a drip loop to create a capillary break. So over time, it’s going to transition between the utility companies’ lines and what is owed by the homeowner. 

The stuff that goes into the masthead and down into the home that’s called the service entrance conductors. So when there is the transition between the service drop and the service entrance conductors there’s going to be a clamp and that clamp is owned by the utility company and also any insulation that’s supposed to go over that clamp. 

If that’s exposed or the insulation has fallen off or the plastic cover that goes over the insulation is missing you have a shock/ electrocution hazard. This will be a serious safety issue. So in that case you also need to call the utility company; sometimes several calls. But they are the ones who own it and they are responsible for it. 

Who Is Responsible For The Service Drop

Usually, service drop happens when there is any discontinuation on the low-hanging power lines like the house or telephone pole. This may happen if any tree branch wires up or there is a problem in the insulation or anything else. Occasionally you might have seen service companies come through the neighborhoods cleaning the lines of any branches that may be threatening the service or fixing old problematic mast-head connections. So all these issues are a concern of the utility company. 

Anytime you notice a service drop the best course of action to take is to contact your local utility company and let them send help to evaluate the situation and provide help if it’s in their due restrictions or at least give some suggestions of your help. So just call them immediately and keep calling until someone are finally at your door to help. 

Who Is Responsible For The Power Cable To My House?  

When it comes to power cables or electric wires in your house the full responsibility goes to the company that is providing the service. This means you need to call your power company or the utility company in your dry restrictions. But in some cases, the responsibility can also lie with the homeowner. So you need to stay aware of all the information in the first place. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why Are Electric Wires Left Sagging?

The heavy electric wires that you see hanging on the electric poles are made of copper and aluminum. They are heavy and carry a lot of weight on them. Moreover, they are heavily loaded with powerful electricity which makes them even heavier. So during the summer times when it’s extremely hot, the metal wirings get expanded a lot making the electric wires sag. 

Is A Tree Branch Touching The Power Line To The House?

It is very much possible if you have trees in your garden or backyard the branches will most likely touch the electric wires and even get twisted with the electric wires that are coming towards your house from the pole. And that can be dangerous for anyone. 

Power Line Pulled Off The House?

When a power line enters your house from the pole it gets responsibility as the property is yours and you took electricity from your local municipality. So if any power lines get damaged or pulled off from the house the homeowner will have to deal with it. In that case, you can call your utility company or an electrician.

Who Owns Land Around Power Lines?

Usually, the power lines and their towers and wiring are the property of the utility company as they work as a secondary source to distribute the electricity and provide electricity to the locals. So it might be surprising to you but both the homeowner and their service company are responsible for the power lines. But when it comes to owning the property or land it solely belongs to the owner.  

Who Is Responsible For Overhead Power Lines?

There are many loopholes when it comes to finding out who’s going to solve the electric issue like overhead power lines. There are a few responsibilities that lie on the homeowner and server issues are handled by the utility company. So it seems the overhead power lines are both the service providers’ and the homeowner’s responsibility. 

Who Is Responsible For The Electric Line To The House?

When the electric wiring gets connected to your house it becomes your responsibility and you need to do the maintenance of general issues regarding the electric lines. But the major issues must be handled by the utility company. 

Who Is Responsible For Cutting Trees Near Power Lines?

The homeowner is responsible when it comes to cutting trees near the power lines. When the power lines enter your property and the trees are also on your property it is your responsibility to cut those down for safety issues otherwise you have to pay for any damage. 

Is The Electric Company Responsible For The Cable Up To The Meter?

Usually, the electric company provides the cable up to the meter but the overall installation, maintenance, repairing, etc have to be done by the homeowner. 

Who Is Responsible For The Service Entrance Cable?

The service entrance cable and the Weatherhead is the responsibility of the homeowner as it is inside the owner’s property. 

Who Is Responsible For Electric Cables In The Uk?

The responsibility of electric cables in the UK is on UK Power Networks. They will install or alter any cable work or service required in any area in the UK. 

What Is The Box Next To The Electric Meter?

The box that is next to the electric meter is called an electrical panel or breaker box or fuse box or service panel which is next in the line after the meter. It controls and distributes electricity to the entire house and also disconnects the power supply in case of emergencies. 

Who Is Responsible For The Service Drop?

The service drop is the responsibility of the utility company or the service provider and it can only be controlled by them. 

Final Verdict 

Whenever it comes to the electric connections and their maintenance or authority you have to be very smart about that by knowing which things belong to you and which don’t. Who Is Responsible For Power Line From Pole To House, That way if any issue occurs you will know whom to call and ask for help.