power line and ivy

[siliconbauhaus]

I've got a hedge that went nuts over the past year and climbed all the wall up the corner of the house and has started climbing around the gutter.

I went out the other day armed with the lopper and chopped it down to a 12" tall stump but I couldn't reach the taller parts without digging out the extension ladder and it was getting late.

Looking at what's left to remove I suddenly realised that the electric/cable and telephone line all come into the same corner. I'm not worried about the cable or the telephone lines but I was wondering about the obvious hazards with the power line. I know well enough not to get near it with anything metal but I was wondering about actually pulling pieces of the shrub that might be touching it and whether or not that's a potential hazard?

The ladder I'll be up on is a fibreglass one btw. I'll probably have to go up on the roof to get some of the bloody thing as it's popped out through the fascia board.

[Pappy]

Because the power cables runs thru the power head and conduit into the meter before there is any insulation removed, you should not have any problem. If you have to do any clipping to get the vines untangled, I would use a small hand clipper and cut only what is neceessary.

[siliconbauhaus]

Cheers Pappy, I'll be cutting very carefully.

[Mr__Bill]

Wooden handled nippers
rubber gloves
prayer
and have someone there with a big stick just in case.

[chopnhack]

lol, agreed with Mr. Bill. Insulation cracks all the time, so be careful with the wiring, especially if its old and has been out in the weather for long.

[rnelson0]

Call the power company. They should clean it up, so long as you remove the vine below. If you chop off the roots, whatever is on the line should shrivel up pretty quickly anyway.

[siliconbauhaus]

You've now got me rethinking it again. I'll try my luck with calling the power company but I bet they'll want to charge me for it (no pun intended)

Whenever they've cut trees back here they send out a local arbourist company who should really specialise in butchery.

[siliconbauhaus]

Well I just called the power company and they said not to do anything until a crew can come out and de-energise the line. SO now I'm waiting for them to schedule me in.

[430752]

here's maybe a better question. If you cut the ivy, and the vines on the power line are thus orphaned from food and water at the trunk, so to speak, why not let them die and shrivel?

[tfischer]

I think the original question was regarding whether it was safe to even cut the vines when they're attached to the wire (even at ground level). If it were me I'd take the safe way out and have the power company come out. They own everything up to your meter, so it shouldn't cost anything.

[cgallery]

Sounds like a good job for the Mrs.

[siliconbauhaus]

Lol,

I've left what was left from my first hack and slash session and it's nicely shrivelled up. The power company is due out tomorrow to look at it and cut the power if need be. I'll be racing against the clock if they cut off the power as it's getting hot around here.

[woodturner]

If it were me I'd take the safe way out and have the power company come out. They own everything up to your meter, so it shouldn't cost anything.

Usually not. If the house has overhead wires, the utility typically (but not always) maintains the wire from the pole to the weatherhead, and the HO is responsible for the weatherhead, insulator, service entrance, meter socket, etc.

If the house has underground utilities, the utility is usually only responsible to the service box - so the HO owns most of the wiring, even the wire from the serivce box to the house.

[tfischer]

Usually not. If the house has overhead wires, the utility typically (but not always) maintains the wire from the pole to the weatherhead, and the HO is responsible for the weatherhead, insulator, service entrance, meter socket, etc.

If the house has underground utilities, the utility is usually only responsible to the service box - so the HO owns most of the wiring, even the wire from the serivce box to the house.

On the other hand, it's difficult for ivy to grow on an underground line

[woodturner]

On the other hand, it's difficult for ivy to grow on an underground line

Guess they don't have "ground ivy" in your part of the world

Seriously, good point. One thing I forgot to mention is that in most areas, the utility decides what they own and maintain - so they are the ones to ask if there are questions.