What to Do If a Tree Hits Your Power Service

When a Tree Hits Power Lines to Your Home

We recently got a call from a homeowner — let’s call her Kelly — who woke up to every homeowner’s nightmare: a tree had come down on her house in the middle of the night.

High winds had taken out part of a tree a couple of days earlier. Kelly knew the rest of it was leaning toward the house, and she was trying to get a tree service out, but the storm beat them to it. Around 3 a.m., the crown of the tree came down, landing partly on her roof and partly on the electrical service line feeding her home.

She saw an arc flash when it happened, but the power company came out, restored power, and everything seemed fine — until the next morning. As she was getting ready, the bathroom light closest to the outside wall started flickering like a neon sign and making a buzzing noise. That’s when she called us and said, “I just want to know everything’s really okay.”

First Things First: Safety Before Anything Else

If a tree hits the power service to your home, your first concern should always be safety — not saving food in the fridge or getting the lights back on.

Here’s what we walked Kelly through on the phone, and what we recommend to any homeowner in a similar situation:

• Assume the lines are live. If anything is touching the power lines (tree, gutter, roof, car), treat it as energized.
• Stay at least 30 feet away from any downed or sagging wires or branches tangled in the wires.
• Do not touch the tree, the service mast, or the meter base if the lines might be involved.
• Call your utility company and 911 if there’s arcing, sparking, or fire.

Only after the utility has confirmed things are safe should you move on to the checklist below.

Storm Damage Electrical Safety Checklist

Once emergency responders and the utility have done their part, it’s tempting to assume that, because the lights came back on, everything is fine. Kelly thought the same, until that noisy, flashing bathroom light told her otherwise.

Here’s a practical checklist we use when we come out to inspect a home after tree or storm damage to the electrical service.

1. Look for Visible Damage (From a Safe Distance)

Without getting on a ladder or touching anything, walk around the outside of your home and look for:

• Leaned or bent service mast (the metal pipe where the wires attach).
• Cracks in the meter base or pulled-away conduit.
• Loose or sagging service wires between the pole and your house.
• Scorch marks on siding near the service point.

In Kelly’s case, nothing obvious looked broken from the ground, which is common. Damage is often internal or subtle.

2. Pay Attention to Odd Behaviors Inside

Kelly mentioned that her bathroom light — the one closest to the outside wall and the incoming service — was flashing and making a buzzing sound. That combination told us there could be a loose connection or damage somewhere in the circuit or at the service equipment.

Inside your home, watch and listen for:

• Lights that flicker, pulse, or hum.
• Burning or hot plastic smells near switches, outlets, or the panel.
• Outlets or switches that feel warm to the touch.
• Appliances that suddenly run faster, slower, or trip breakers.

If you notice any of these, it’s time to stop guessing and call a licensed electrician.

3. Check Your Panel — With the Cover On

Kelly did something right: she went to the basement, looked at her panel, but did not remove the cover. That’s exactly what we recommend for homeowners.

With the cover closed, you can safely look for:

• Obvious burn marks or discoloration around the panel.
• Water intrusion — rust streaks, dampness, or dripping.
• Breakers that won’t reset or keep tripping immediately.

Do not remove the dead front cover or try to tighten anything yourself. The service conductors inside are always energized and extremely dangerous.

When to Call the Utility vs. an Electrician

One thing that confused Kelly was who to call. The power company had already been out, power was restored, but the weird light behavior had her worried.

Here’s how we usually break it down:

• Call the utility company if the damage is on the pole, the line running down your street, or the service drop (the wires from the pole to the weatherhead), or if there are active sparks or outages.
• Call a licensed electrician if there’s damage to the service mast, meter base, panel, or anything inside your home, or if things work but seem “off” (like Kelly’s bathroom light).

It’s very possible to have power restored but still have hidden damage that only shows up as flickering, buzzing, or intermittent problems.

Don’t Ignore “Neon Sign” Noises

That “neon sign” sound Kelly described — a sort of buzzing or crackling paired with strobing light — is not something to watch for a few days to see if it goes away. It can indicate:

• A loose connection in a fixture or junction box.
• Voltage fluctuations from a compromised neutral or service conductor.
• Heat buildup that can lead to arcing and fire risk.

Our advice to her is the same advice we’d give you: turn that circuit off at the breaker and avoid using it until a pro has inspected it.

When in Doubt, Get an Inspection

Kelly called because she “just wanted to feel comfortable” that everything had been inspected and was truly safe. That’s exactly the right instinct after storm damage to your electrical service.

If a tree has hit the wires or mast feeding your home, even if the lights are back on, it’s worth having a licensed electrician:

• Inspect the service mast, meter base, and panel connections.
• Check for damage to circuits closest to the impact area.
• Test for proper voltage and a solid neutral connection.

Power coming on is only half the story; making sure it’s coming in safely and consistently is the other half. If you’ve had storm or tree damage to your electrical service and something just doesn’t seem right, give us a call — we’re happy to come out, take a thorough look, and give you peace of mind.