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Powerline safety question - painting the house

10K views 53 replies 18 participants last post by  tedindystries 
#1 ·
I'm painting my house by hand, no sprayer. What am I supposed to do around the power lines entering the house? I see things online saying the electric company will put a shield or sleeve around them, but my power company says no. They tell me to stay away from the lines. How is that feasible? Am I really supposed to leave a huge unpainted spot there? Seems ridiculous.

The wires are insulated with no apparent damage to the insulation, and I'm on a fiberglass ladder, so I think it shouldn't electrocute me, but i don't know enough about electricity to be 100% sure. Obviously I'm not trying to touch the lines but there is a chance I may by accident. Suggestions/solutions please!
 
#4 ·
I'll have to side with the POCO. If these are single wires or even triplex, with any age on them they can have small cracks. Since you don't know that much about it, I'd stay clear or hire someone who knows what they are doing around wires to paint it. Post a picture of what you have and we can make a better determination.
 
#6 ·
Yes a wire with no insulation. If your house is fed by with all three wires in one bundle you are pretty safe. If there was insulation issues, the wires would be shorting to each other.
There are 3 separate wires. 2 black "insulated" wires, as well as a bare wire that I believe to be the neutral. The black wires look to be in good condition and not weathered.

Will post pic tomorrow as soon as I'm back at the property (it's a rental house I own)
 
#13 ·
I couldn't count the times that I've had to get too close to live wires like that. The main thing is to be careful!! I don't recall any jobs where I wasn't able to get it all painted but it often means putting your body in uncomfortable positions in order to paint it without coming in contact with the live wires. Brush handle extensions can help although you loose a little bit of control so care must still be used.


As mentioned above posting some pics will get you better suggestions tailored to your house.
 
#16 ·
As mentioned in my opening post, I'm using fiberglass. I actually initially bought an aluminum folding gorilla ladder at a great price. After pressure washing (without my ladder near any danger), it dawned on me that the overhead power lines cross the back of the house within 3ft, and I could not safely extend my aluminum ladder. I had to suck it up and spend another $250 on a fiberglass extension ladder. Small price to pay when it comes to my life!
 
#17 ·
I've never owned a fiberglass extension ladder and don't think I've ever worked for anyone that had one - you learn to be extra careful when working near power lines on an aluminum ladder!! Some of my earlier employers did have wooden extension ladders [I don't miss them heavy suckers] Your fiberglass ladder is safer but you still need to pay attention to keep yourself safe!
 
#18 ·
Problem being that as a female, although I am quite strong for a woman, I do not have the upper body strength to safely move the ladder without a risk of it becoming top heavy and falling over into those lines (not the lines to the house, the large overhead lines). Also the gorilla ladder extends by folding out, not being raised straight up. So to get it up to 22ft, between those overhead lines and the house is extra scary. Renting a ladder from home depot was $135 a week and this project will be taking longer than that. Hell, I spent 20 hours just scraping old paint!! I figure I can sell the fiberglass ladder when I'm done and be out of pocket less than a rental fee.
 
#21 ·
I figure I can sell the fiberglass ladder when I'm done and be out of pocket less than a rental fee

Before I sold the ladder I'd consider if I would have future need for it, not just the next time you need to paint but extension ladders have many uses for a homeowner.
I'm going to keep the aluminum gorilla ladder since it can be used as an extension or a-frame, which is more useful to me. All my other houses are 1 story. The only reason i felt the need for the fiberglass one was to avoid the overhead powerlines on the peak of backside of this house, which i hopefully will have no reason to get 22ft up to ever again! I can get on the roof of this house or to any window with the aluminum one.
 
#22 ·
Pics...hard to get good lighting back there. Best pics i could obtain. The paint is chipped on the lines but the insulation looked good when i was up there. So, hypothetical question - if I'm on a fiberglass ladder, with rubber soled boots and i touch the wires, am I in serious danger?
 

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#24 ·
Damn thunderstorm just kicked me off the job site. Guess I will have to take a lunch break til it passes. Of course it's been raining on and off everyday since I'm trying to paint grrrr! If it sprinkles I trudge on. By the time the lightning rolls in I get the heck outta dodge.

Good thinking about unhooking the line. I will see if I can get it down. The ladder set up on that side was one of my qualms.

I don't plan on touching the line :devil3:. But I'm a "worst case scenario" kinda gal, so wanna know "what if".
 
#29 · (Edited)
I believe there's many competent and experienced people posting on this forum. I have no doubt there's many licensed electricians, as well as many other trade professionals lurking about. An electrician may come to this forum for his woodworking hobby, for instance, and happen by this thread. I'm also grateful to hear from painters that have painted around electrical connections on 100's of houses. I'm glad people are taking the time to put their 2 cents in. It's up to me to determine what advice I feel is valid. After all, it's my life on the line. I appreciate where you're coming from, just as I appreciate the advice from everyone else.

Get a supervisor out to your house right now!!!

Your service is dangerous, the wires appear to be in contact with the gutter and are likely constantly being sawed upon.

The photographs show a clear deflection of the service cables.
The angle of the photos is creating an optical illusion. I just went back to the house to look and be 100% sure. The wires are at least a foot from the gutters and are not rubbing on any part of the house.

As far as the deflection you speak of, there is a small tree branch about 30ft from the house (on neighboring property), that is brushing the line, creating a very small amount of tension. I just called the power company to report this. Apparently they don't consider that a serious issue, since they will be out in a month to determine if any trimming is necessary. There is no tension on the wires coming from the weatherhead.
 
#30 ·
Check with some of the local electrical repair company in your area they may very well have the proper insulated sleeves that you need & will install them for a very minor fee. I have used this route when setting Scaffolding around power lines. Also the electrical repair company will have blankets that are use for the same reason.
 
#33 ·
Yea the electric companies uses those for safety ..Look at that option!
You can also place some light rubberized type insulation cover over wires an /or maybe try a extended reach technique just for that 1 area with wood extension an a brush [theres many diy techniques with plastic ,rubber, pvc ,wood an other nonmetalic supplies ].
Play it safe an dont be in a rush an you should be fine .
Ive had to do work around some of my property's weatherheads with siding/roof repair an paint an just took my time an was careful ,avoiding contact an using non metal applicators there close to the weatherhead an lines when possible.
Good luck !
 
#35 · (Edited)
Congratulations on being a DIYer.
You have asked for advice and received much which has been "good" and relative.
I applaud your "caution" but please do not be too concerned by the insulated "feeds" to the premises concerned.

There are actually three of these "feeds", which can be seen in the photographs which you have posted.
You have a "split phase" 240 V supply, from which you derive two (out of phase) 120 V supplies, which includes the availability of a 240 V supply for any (high wattage) device needing such a supply. The GROUNDED "Neutral" for the 120 V supplies appears to be derived via the (steel) catenary, which also is acting as a conductor. (A Catenary is the "Cable" which supports the "Conductors".)

Your installation at these premises should be configured so that the two out-of-phase 120 V supplies power roughly the same "LOADS".
However, if these 120 V Loads do not "balance" at any instant, the differential current will be carried by the "Neutral" conductor, BUT, that bare Neutral conductor will still be at Ground potential.

While the "Active" 120 V split-phase conductors ARE insulated to the necessary standards, should you have any further concerns concerning this matter it should be quite easy for you to place any type of plastic "sheeting" material over the insulated (and bare) conductors concerned in a temporary manner and remove it after you have finished your painting activities.

As we are wont to say in this country, "No problems" !

Please note that, while a 240 V AC supply is available, because it is derived from a "split-phase" supply, the voltage between any "Line" supply and Ground should never exceed 120 V AC. (However, any 120 V AC supply does have a Peak of almost 160 V.)
 
#37 · (Edited)
Thank you everyone for your informative and supportive posts! I appreciate it a lot :thumbsup:

The power company 'tree evaluation guy' came out this morning while I was working (even tho they quoted me a month time-frame). I picked his brain while he was there. Basically his opinion was the same as most here - the insulation is there for a reason and I should use caution but I should be pretty safe. Also an electrician I spoke with suggested covering the lines with a rubber mat (similar to Hidden 1's and FrodoOne's suggestion) if I'm at all concerned. So I will throw my car mat over it and have at it - cautiously, of course. I'm breaking for lunch but will be getting up there later today to prime that area.
 
#39 ·
Also an electrician I spoke with suggested covering the lines with a rubber mat (similar to Hidden 1's and FrodoOne's suggestion) if I'm at all concerned. So I will throw my car mat over it and have at it - cautiously, of course.
I do suggest that using something as heavy as a "car mat" is "overkill".

Something as simple as "bubble wrap" (or plastic garbage bags) would be all that would be necessary to prevent any "casual" inadvertent contact with anything in the area concerned.

However, (be that as it may) good luck with your DIY "home improvement" efforts.
 
#43 ·
A Catenary is the "Cable" which supports the "Conductors".
That sounds like a Commonwealth country definition?

The only time I have heard “catenary wire” or “catenary cable” used in the USA, the person using it is talking about railway, trolley, or bus OH electric systems.

In a OH service drop it’s a neutral wire, if it carries neutral current.
If it’s sole function was support, it would be a messenger wire or cable.

Engineers might also talk about the catenary of a cable or wire. Most others will refer to it as sag.
 
#44 ·
I note that, in The Canterville Ghost (1887), Oscar Wilde wrote: ‘We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language’, and Bernard Shaw has been quoted as saying: ‘England and America are two countries separated by the same language’.

When I went to check on my usage of the term, I found this, in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary: -
The word "catenary" is derived from the Latin word catēna, which means "chain". The English word "catenary" is usually attributed to Thomas Jefferson, who wrote in a letter to Thomas Paine on the construction of an arch for a bridge:

"I have lately received from Italy a treatise on the equilibrium of arches, by the Abbé Mascheroni. It appears to be a very scientifical work. I have not yet had time to engage in it; but I find that the conclusions of his demonstrations are, that every part of the catenary is in perfect equilibrium."
(I note that the spell checker does not like the word "scientifical")

Further to this discussion - although it diverges from the original thread - I checked up on AS/NZS 3000 (the Australian/NZ equivalent of the NEC wiring rules.)
While, in general, Catenary cables are not used in this country to support the two conductors required for a 230 V supply, the maximum span permitted for "Insulated Aluminium conductors of 16 Square Millimeters Cross Sectional Area [CSA]" is 50 metres.
(For Al conductors >/= 25 Sq mm CSA, the maximum span is 60 m)

Beyond that, a catenary would be required and the rules state (among other things)
"Cables supported by a means of a catenary shall be stranded cables affording double insulation or the equivalent of double insulation."
 
#48 ·
Thank you to everyone who offered me suggestions and support. You gave me the confidence to go for it! I'm finally done :vs_rocking_banana:
 

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