Trees on your property add incredible value to it. They have the magical ability to make every space more beautiful, they provide you with shadow, with the lovely sounds of the leaves rustling, they change the entire appearance of your yard during the year. And on top of everything, they give us oxygen – making trees one of the most important organisms on the planet. And for enjoying all of this benefits from our giant guardians, we only need to care for them from time to time.

But if we don’t care for them, trees can also pose some dangers: they can reach electricity structures and wires, then can catch fire, they can lean or become too heavy, and fall, their branches can fall for various reason injuring someone or damaging property etc.

What is Power Line Tree Clearing?

Trimming trees around power lines is crucial for safely and continuously distributing electricity to residential areas. Big and tall trees in close proximity to power lines can easily cause blackouts and power surges, which is why power lines and other electricity structures must be clear of the branches and the tree foliage, that are touching or are near the power lines, at all times.

However, even more importantly, regular trimming saves lives, since trees that grow near power lines affect public safety directly. Proper and timely power line tree clearing protect against fallen cables and electrical fires, which is a danger to public safety, as well as to healthy trees around them, since it can damage or kill them.

When Do You Need Tree Clearance from Power Lines?

According to regulations, distance between the tree brunches and the power lines should be 1.5 metres, and the space above them should always be clear. However, when it comes to tree clearance, the distance that assures safe and reliable power distribution to households, is not always the same: in areas with high fire risk, it increases from 1.5 to 2 metres, for higher voltage powerlines in residential areas, the distance increases for an additional metre. Furthermore, some additional clearance distance is a good idea, to allow for regrowth.

Generally, trees need to be trimmed every 2 to 5 years in order to maintain the power clear of branches, allowing for continuous electricity service. However, in some cases, there may be even a need to cut down a tree, in order to assure safe electricity distribution.

How do You Know if You Need a Tree Surgeon?

Propper and timely pruning of trees can save a lot of problems that they could cause later, and prevent tree removals, ensuring protection against structural problems and future tree diseases.

However, when it comes to older trees especially, having an arborist regularly determine if the trees on your property could pose a risk to people, to the property itself, or to power lines, is important. And, apart from getting a letter from an electricity service requiring tree clearing, there are other signs that your trees might need a professional checking them and possibly do some work on them:

• Dead limbs
• Cracks, cavities and splits
• Rotten wood along the trunk
• Signs of disease or wounds, such as cankers or sunken bar
• Fungi or mushrooms growing around the base
• Root damages, and mound, or soil lifted near a tree
• Leaves falling off at the wrong time of year
• Trees dangerously leaning on one side

How to Proceed if You Need to Clear the Power Lines?

If there is a need for tree clearing on your property, legally you could trim them on your own, as long as there isn’t a risk of the branches falling too close to a power line.

However, there are various dangers from power line clearance tree trimming, that you should be aware of, should you decide to do it yourself, apart from the many dangers from working around electricity, including the risk of injuries from falling or from the branches, as well as damaging the tree.

The safest way to go is to ask for help from professionals. Tree surgeons, or arborists are professionals that focus on the health and safety of plants and trees, and they are the ones you call when you need tree clearing.

However, in some instances, this is the only option, since tree surgeons are the only ones allowed to work near powerlines, and they can arrange for the power to be shut down on your behalf, if working while the circuit is “live” is dangerous.

One of the biggest reasons to let experienced and trained professionals do this for you, is that unlike you, arborists who climb are trained to use various cutting equipment, as well as ascending into the tree, to ensure safety: climbing rope systems, pole saws, lift platforms and other clearing machinery…

However, apart from safety, this is a good idea, because tree surgeons would also assure that there is space for tree regrowth for up to 3 years after the clearing. Furthermore, reliable tree services companies, accredited to do power line clearance, could also clean up the branches.