Prepare Your Home For Fall With These Electrical Safety Tips - 10/30/26
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Prepare your home for fall with these electrical safety tips
Autumn is an ideal time to tackle maintenance projects around your home and yard
PORTLAND, Ore. (October 30, 2026) — Cooler temperatures and changing leaves mean fall has arrived across the Pacific Northwest, making now a good time to prepare homes and yards for the stormy weather ahead.
"Fall is the best time to get ahead of winter storms," said Jeremy Gee, Pacific Power's vice president of health and safety. "Take a few minutes to check for trees and branches that could reach power lines, and always look up before you prune or climb a ladder. A little preparation now can help prevent outages and keep your family safe."
Look up before you prune. Check for power lines in or near trees before cutting any branches. Keep yourself and anything you're handling, including pruning tools and ladders, at least 10 feet from overhead power lines. Never try to remove a branch that is tangled in or lying across a power line. Call Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070 for help.
Some additional tips for fall safety:
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Gutters, ladders, and irrigation pipes can conduct electricity. Stay at least 10 feet from power lines and anything touching them.
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Use wooden and fiberglass ladders. Metal ladders conduct electricity.
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Be aware and steer clear of overhead electrical wires when installing, removing, cleaning or repairing gutters.
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Never use electrical equipment near pools or wet areas such as puddles. Make sure outlets are equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), which automatically disconnects power if a tool contacts water.
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Plant trees and shrubs away from meters, switching cabinets and boxed transformers. Blocked equipment makes repairs more difficult and sometimes dangerous for utility crews.
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Have help when installing or adjusting a satellite dish or antenna. Make sure you’re working at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines.
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Underground power lines are just as dangerous as overhead ones. Call at least 48 hours before planting a tree or installing fence posts so utilities can be located and marked for free.
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Always assume a fallen line is energized. Stay at least 35 feet away from it and anything it touches, then call 911 and Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070
For more safety tips or to order free Pacific Power safety materials, call toll free at 800-375-7085 or visit PacificPower.net/Safety.
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About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, natural gas, coal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with over two million customers in six western states. For more information, visit PacificPower.net.