I am replacing aluminum with fiber cement lap siding. Our 200 year old house has no sheath and bad siding installation over the original rotted lap so when the wind blows in February in upstate NY, the vapor barrier that has been installed inside the house flaps in the breeze. Unfortunately, I have learned that the power company is unwilling to help by temporarily disconnecting the power to the house so that I can deal with the area where the aerial electric wire is attached to the house. Does anyone have recommendations on how to handle this problem without disconnecting the electricity, other than very very carefully of course. I am actrually concerned, based on the care that was taken by revious owners, that the ceramic blocks are not attached to any wall framing, though I can’t really be sure one way or another. Any tips would be very much appreciated.
Yours,
Tim
Replies
You probably need to talk to a local licensed electrician. He'll know what is needed.
One of the many possibilities, is to install a new above-the-roof weatherhead, with cable going from there to the meter base. Once that's been instpected, the local utility will have to come out to move the service entrance.
More importantly -- how long is it going to take you to demolish, resheath, and reside this side of your house? Sounds like a job that can't be done in a single day. Do you have a plan that allows you to work without power for those days?
Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
It is a three wire system, looks like plastic or rubber insulation around the two wires from either side of the transformer and the uninsulated nuetral return. My idea to deal with the problem in a single day was to remove the siding and underlying lap , then apply a large enough sheet of sheathing to span a few studs. On top of that, I will place a piece, or pieces of 6" fiber cement trim board and paint. This will leave a flush surface through which the ceramic mounts can be attached and another to which the meter box can be attached. I can then sheath the remainder of the wall and can butt the fiber cement lap up against the board on which the electrical supply is attached. While this may result ina break in the lap, I think that it will ultimately provide a professional look to the wall, which is at the back of the house anyway.
If I couldn't do that, I am already planning to add a generator supply to the house for electricity loss since without any electric supply, I have no water. We could temporarily conserve power and live off the generator.
My biggest concern is that the single ceramic bolt which holds the nuetral is sufficiently well attached that I can work around it without it pulling away from the house leaving a live power cable laying in my back yard. Of course no one can really answer that question without looking at it, which I will try to do from the inside. The electricity itself does not intimidate me as I pulled out the meter earlier this year to run a new 200A supply to the house replacing the old rusted out 100A box that was previously in the basement. The two live wires are held to the house by having been wrapped around the neutral on their way from the transformer at the pole to the house (a distance of about 100').
new undeground outta the question?
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
On one story homes, I usually build a temporary pole close to the existing location and have the electrician temporarily mount the service there for me.
On two story homes....I punt!
OK, it sounds like you do have the three wire twisted service drop cable (the wires wrapped around each other). This is relatively safe to work with, so long as you don't have trouble with the splices where that cable mates with the cable feeding the meter.
The main problem you have is simply that there's (probably) no way to safely disconnect it from the house, since typically the gizmo that ties the ground wire to the screwed-in insulator can't be easily removed from the insulator. This situation is further compounded by the fact that 100' of that cable is quite heavy, so if you did get it loose you'd be hard pressed to get it back in place.
Given that the cable is that heavy, though, it's reasonable to assume that the insulator is relatively well-anchored to the house, and you needn't worry about putting modest additional strain on it while working in the area.
If you somehow did manage to get the cable loose (intentionally), probably the best approach would be to (securely) tie a nylon rope to it and tie that to some convenient spot on the house not too far away, vs letting the cable fall in the yard.
Thanks to all for these responses. It is a two story house, and I am too stubborn to punt, though I should probably have punted before we closed on the house. That's another story. I think I will probably have to assume that the line is well anchored and work carefully around it.
The power company in question is Niagara Mohawk, near Albany, NY. When I called today, they told me "we don't own any of that so we won't touch it; talk to your siding contractor" I said that was me and was advised again that they don't own the equipment, it's my responsibility.
I also brought up the new underground service and the rep balked pretty hard at that one too. It's possible that I just got unlucky and spoke with a moron at the power company instead of a wiser more helpful person. I'll probably try calling at least twice more to try my luck. In the meantime, I will put in the new laundry room for my wife.
We are recovering the house's character by gutting it pretty much down to the frame. The interior was previously destroyed, with exterior grade plywood replacing plaster as the interior finish. So far we have finished one bathroom so there is a 5'x10' space where, with the door closed, I can stand and pretend to be living in modern comfort. Thanks for all the advice.
--Tim
Edited 7/9/2004 10:59 pm ET by Tim
If you are going to work around those wires, go to a local tire dealer that deals with tractors and trucks as well.
Get a BIG inner tube. One that went flat, and cannot be repaired. Cut that into large pieces. Wrap each wire separately with a large piece, so that it is insulated to at least a foot or two out from the house.
Don't forget to do each separately.
Here, the electric company allows us to disconnect our own service and will come out and reconnect the same day that we ask for a reconnect. They will also come out, and disconnect, then reconnect when you are ready. All for a fee, of course.
One caveat... That is their policy with me. I put my own 20 foot power pole in. Mounted and set up the box, the mast, the leads, everything. All set for plugging into. And I not only passed inspection, I impressed the heck out of the inspector with the extra work I put in making everything double secure, heavily insulated, and triple grounded. (Each ground driven in half again as far as they demanded.)
They know I am capable. They may not have the same policy with a neighbor moving in, with existing power. They may demand a lisenced and qualified electrician. I dunno.
The inspector that came out when I was finished, asked for a bit more heavy duty protection on the required GFI outlet hung off the bottom of the box. Reason... between the time I installed everything, and when the inspector got here, a black bear used that weatherproof box as a back scratcher, and left hair all over it. I beefed that up, and the inspector was happy.
My inspector also happens to be number two on the totem pole in the local electric company. Whuf. (Not just of the inspectors. He is number two there, period. How he finds time to also inspect, I have no idea.)
"Criticism without instruction is little more than abuse." D.Sweet
tim 25 plus yrs ago i was doing siding in upstate ny.we used to just pry the meter box off side under it and call the power company niagra mohawk to put it back on.
after about 4-5 times of doing that they said next time it'll cost ya 400 in a fine for tampering with meter.if you guys would just call and schedule we would take it off and reinstall for no charge.after tht we had them come with boom trucks to remove and stay while we sided behind weather heads then put them back
you might have talked to the wrong person at the power company or things have really changed
> "we don't own any of that so we won't touch it;
Aha -- that's the difference. Out here, DWP owns the drop, the citizen owns the weatherhead.
-- J.S.
Just to wrap everything up, I am just about finished with the job. We pulled off all of the old aluminum, carefully cutting it out and pulling it from the lag bolt holding the ceramic insulator. The weatherhead itself was easily removed and previously held on with only one screw. By leaving only some of the drop free from the wall at a time, I was able to kjeep good control of the entire situation without electrocuting myself. The only remaining task is to finish putting up the new hardiplank around the ceramic insulator and then reattaching the weatherhead to the house. The suggestion for tires was a good one, although in this case, the insulation was in good condition so I was reasonably comfortable working. I will admit that working on the front of the house without the wires was much easier both in reality, and in my mind. Thanks for all of the suggestions. Things are going well and I should get all the new siding in place on the main house before the cold weather arrives.
It sounds like you probably have the three separate wires coming to ceramic insulators on the side of the house. The suggestion to install a new service entrance and weatherhead is probably the best -- the electrician will know how to get the electric co to act.
If the service were fairly new (ie, less than 30-40 years old) the hazard of working near it would be minimal, as the wires are heavily covered with tough plastic insulation. (The only major hazard is usually at the connections between the wires from the pole and the wires running down to the meter -- the plastic insulators they use on those connections aren't too trustworthy. But application of some electrical tape will remedy that.)
But likely your service is 50-year-old cloth/rubber covered wires, and the insulation is probably deteriorating. Especially when tearing off the aluminum there's a danger of contacting the wire and managing to cut/break the insulation. Plus you have the problem that you'd really like to remove the insulators and side behind them (and possibly also arrange a better mount back there).
I've detached phone and cable wires from the house to reside, but wouldn't try it with those old power wires -- just too dangerous.
> the power company is unwilling to help by temporarily disconnecting the power
Wow. Where is this? They've never heard of lawsuits and liability?
If you can't get the power co. to see the light, then going to a new service entrance and weatherhead as has been suggested is the best solution.
-- J.S.
If the power company won't come out for you tell them you will do it yourself. Might get them to move. Find out how they feel about reconnecting. Either way the hand gets played.
Disconnecting is easy if you take care. Turn off the main to drop any load. Separate the conductors. Sometimes it is best to wrap some tape around the neutral to insulate it so you don't short it while clipping the hots lines. Rig a rope to take the strain. Make sure your not grounded and wearing lineman's gloves, safety glasses and a helmet cut one of the hots. Insulate the end with tape. Cut the second hot and insulate it also. Cut the neutral. Lower the drop with the rope and coil it up out of harms way. Once your job is done call the power company to reconnect.
Alternately if you have a tree handy that you plan on trimming heavily or removing you might arrange to land a branch, or the whole tree on the drop. A strong rope and good truck can usually be made to precipitate a convenient failure of trunk or large limb. Wind blows, branches fall, drops get ripped down. The power company comes out and replaces it. Life goes on.
Around here a quick call to the utility will get you a crew to disconnect a drop in a day or so and a return visit the same day to reconnect. Linemen always friendly, cooperative and willing to work something out. Never had a major problem.