Distribution lines, or power lines as they are most commonly referred to, transmits thousands of volts of electric currents to homes everywhere, which makes them a very important structure in every community or city. However, they also pose major threats when not maintained properly, and proper maintenance of this includes keeping them safe and secure from any material that can damage or break them like tree limbs for instance.

We all love the sight of trees in our community – it provides a fresh, crisp, green scenery during spring time, provides shade during summer, and a bright red and orange hue during fall season. But when they get in the way of power lines, well, that’s another topic altogether.

Importance of Proper Tree Pruning

Trees and tree limbs that reach out to the power lines – its post and cables included – can cause several threats and dangers, which is why we need to have them pruned. They can cause massive power outages and cause inconvenience to homes everywhere. They can even topple down the posts and block the roads and trees as they fall – and not to mention the high percentage of getting electrocuted when you unfortunately come in contact with these live wires.

By pruning a tree, we can help to minimize (if not delete) the chances of this mishaps from happening, and doing ourselves and our community a service.

Pruning a Tree: Who Should Do It?

Pruning trees near power lines can be done by either you or a professional tree management company.

If the tree is in a safe distance from the power line and is not very high, then you can get a ladder and prune the tree yourself. Provided you take extra precaution, everything should be fine. This way, you are preventing the tree limbs from growing too long and reaching out to the power lines.

However, if the tree is relatively close and almost touches the power lines, it is best to call a professional tree management company to deal with the problem in order to reduce the chances of any accident. They have the right tools and equipments and are trained professionals with years of experience in their belts. Never attempt to do this task especially if the tree is in direct contact with the power line, or during bad weather conditions (which is usually when trees and power lines get in each other’s way).