Plugged In: Can I Prune My Trees Near Power Lines?
Q: Why can’t I prune trees that are near Walton EMC power lines?
A: You should NOT touch — let alone prune — a tree that’s in contact with a power line, including the service wire leading to your house. It’s very dangerous and can even be lethal.
The water in a living tree’s tissues can conduct electricity. (Even a dead tree is dangerous, if it’s wet.) When any part of a tree is electrified, the current passes through its tissues. Energy will flow through a person who’s touching the tree and the ground, causing electrocution.
Even if a tree isn’t touching an energized line, a branch can unexpectedly make contact when there’s a gust of wind or while being pruned. Pruning tools, such as a long-handled saw or a ladder, could accidentally touch the power lines, too.
We don’t recommend trimming any trees within 10 feet of an electrical line. If an overgrown tree or shrub is threatening a power line, report it to Walton EMC at 770-267-2505 for a safe solution.
Featured Articles:
-
Talking Trees: Help Us Keep the Power Flowing
Keeping your power on 24/7/365 is job one at Walton EMC. Minimizing vegetation around our distribution lines is one way we achieve this level of reliability. As Walton EMC’s right-of-way (ROW) coordinator, it’s Eric Floyd’s job to see that trees don’t grow too close to the co-op’s electric lines. Tree limbs that come in contact […]
-
EMC Security Text Notifications Offer Enhanced Customer Experience
EMC Security is committed to providing options that simplify customers’ lives and make it easier to use their security systems. In that spirit of convenience, EMC Security is offering a free, innovative text notification option you won’t see anywhere else. With EMC Text-Alert, customers can opt-in to be notified via text when EMC Security receives […]
-
POWERful Gadgets: Chevy EV
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) annually provides a look into the technological crystal ball. Manufacturers and inventors from around the globe gather to showcase everything from auto advancements to Z-series tablets that have the potential to change how we live and work. This year, the product generating the most tech world buzz is an electric […]
-
Fundamental Support for Our Community
Walton EMC’s mission is to deliver reliable and affordable electricity. We operate by guiding principles that include caring for our communities. Here’s how we made a financial impact in the areas we serve during 2021.
-
As Seen on Facebook