BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The straight line winds Monday could really cause some damage. Downed trees and power lines could create power outages across our area.
Whenever we have stormy conditions like this, we normally expect some power outages. If you’re lucky it’s just a few minutes, but there could be an even bigger problem if it’s lasting a really long time. Single Door Wall Mounted Box
Kerry Adkins, president of OnTime Service, says sometimes falling trees actually knock meter boxes off of homes, cutting the electricity to your home completely.
He says when this happens, a lot of homeowners assume your power company is responsible for repairing the meter, but this isn’t true.
“Alabama Power’s responsibility stops where their line connects to your house so anything from that point down is your responsibility,” he explains. “So if it rips all that off, the homeowner has the responsibility to hiring an electrician to putting it all back up.”
Adkins says you need to choose a licensed electrician because many times the power company requires a permit, inspection, and release from the local jurisdiction before they turn the power back on to make sure everything is safe.
So if you notice an issue with your meter box, Adkins says to call your power company first to make sure it’s on their radar and then call an electrician.
If you see your meter box on the ground along with power lines, Adkins says you need to treat them as if they’re live. He says you don’t need to touch them or even go near them because you could get electrocuted and your life could be at risk.
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