Short answer
Stay at least 30 feet from any downed line and assume it's energized. Keep people and pets back and call 911 and your utility or REMC. The utility owns the service drop from the pole to the connection point on your house. The mast, weatherhead and meter base are usually yours, and an electrician repairs them. Once that repair is done, and inspected where required, the utility reconnects your power.
What's probably happening
Northeast Indiana gets ice storms and high winds in winter and strong thunderstorms in summer. Overhead service lines take the hit. A falling limb, the weight of ice, or a strong gust can pull the line down, bend or rip the mast off the house, or tear the meter base loose from the wall. Rural homes and farms served by an REMC often have long service runs across open ground and through trees, which adds more exposure.
The service drop is down or sagging
The service drop is the set of wires running from the utility's pole to your house. If it's down, low, or tangled in branches, it's the utility's to repair. Until they arrive, treat it as live, even if your lights are out.
The mast or weatherhead is damaged
The mast is the pipe that rises above your roof or runs up the side of the house, and the weatherhead is the cap at the top where the wires come out. When a drop is pulled down, it often pulls the mast with it, bending it, pulling it off the roof, or cracking the weatherhead. That part is generally the homeowner's responsibility, and it's electrician work.
The meter base is damaged
The meter base is the box the meter plugs into. If the mast was pulled hard, the meter base can be bent, cracked, or torn from the wall, and the connections inside can be damaged. The meter itself belongs to the utility. The base it sits in is usually yours.
Partial power, flickering, or no power at all
Storm damage doesn't always drop the whole line. A stretched or damaged connection can leave you with half the house out, or lights that go bright and dim. See half the house has no power if that's what you're seeing.
What you can safely check yourself
- Stay at least 30 feet from any downed line, and from anything it's touching: a fence, a vehicle, a puddle, a tree. Assume it's energized.
- Keep children, pets, and neighbors back. If a line is on a vehicle with someone inside, tell them to stay put and call 911.
- Call 911 for any downed line, then call your utility or REMC and report it.
- From a safe distance, look at the house: is the mast bent or pulled off? Is the meter base hanging or damaged? Take photos for the utility and your insurance.
- If you lost power, turn off major appliances and sensitive electronics so they aren't hit with a surge when power is restored.
- If you use a portable generator, run it outdoors, well away from windows and doors, and plug appliances into it with cords. Never connect it to the house wiring through an outlet. That can send power back out on the line and endanger line workers.
- Call us as soon as you can for the mast, weatherhead or meter base. The utility will generally want that repaired before they reconnect.
Don't try to lift, move, or cut a line, climb to the mast, or touch the meter or meter base.
When to stop and call
- Any line is down, sagging low, sparking, or touching anything. Call 911 and the utility.
- The mast is bent, leaning, or pulled away from the roof or wall.
- The meter base is loose, cracked, or hanging, or the meter is damaged.
- You have partial power, flickering, or lights going bright and dim after a storm.
- You smell burning or hear buzzing at the meter or panel.
Storms don't keep business hours, and Sky High Electric is listed as open 24 hours on our Google profile. Once the line is reported and everyone is safe, call (260) 519-1188. Tell us what's damaged and whether the utility has been out yet, and we'll work with them to get your power back on. The repair typically includes a permit and inspection where your city or county requires it.
Common questions
Who pays to fix a service line pulled off my house?
Generally, the utility or REMC is responsible for the service drop, the wires from their pole to the connection point at your house. The mast, weatherhead, meter base and service entrance on your house are usually the homeowner's, and are repaired by your electrician. Check with your utility and your insurance company for the details that apply to you.
Will the utility reconnect my power before the mast is fixed?
Usually not if the mast, weatherhead or meter base is damaged. They typically need the homeowner's side repaired first, and in many areas inspected, before they reconnect.
How close is too close to a downed line?
Stay at least 30 feet away, and farther is better. Assume any downed line is energized, even if it isn't sparking. Keep people and pets back and call 911 and the utility.
Can a tree branch on the line cause problems even if the power is on?
Yes. A branch resting on or rubbing the service drop can damage the insulation or pull on the mast over time. Don't try to remove it yourself. Call the utility; they handle vegetation near their lines.