Underground Service conversion and installation
An underground service is one of the many residential and commercial services we offer. In some newer homes, underground services were installed when the home was being built. Most homes on Long Island, however, do not have underground services.
Benefits of an underground service:
The benefits of an underground service are rarely mechanical or physical. Any argument that could be made in terms of mechanical or electrical integrity exist in the fact that the service cable is now not exposed to direct sunlight or lots of heat, possibly prolonging the life of a service wire. There are also no service connection points on your home above the ground. This could help reduce power outage problems from high winds over time. Again, the mechanical and physical arguments are not strong, the argument of necessity and aesthetics is a completely different matter.
Why would you need an underground service?
A great example which we commonly encounter is the installation of a pool. You want to have a pool installed in your back yard but you have an overhead service. This often poses a problem because of the clearance requirements of a service wire over a pool. “Clearance in any direction to the water level, edge of water surface, base of diving platform, or permanently anchored raft” needs to be 22.5’. Overhead services to homes very rarely, if ever are over 22.5’ above the ground (it would need to be even higher if there is a dive platform). The solution is to relocate your service from above ground to underground. There are also those customers who simply prefer not to see the electric utility line, it’s perfectly viable to relocate your service to underground for this reason as well.
Company owner, Peter Lombardo operates a Ditch Witch to trench and install an underground service
Potential drawbacks:
The only real drawback of an underground service has to do with the ownership of that service cable. With a typical above ground service here on Long Island, the local utility, PSEG, owns everything right up to the service connection at your house. Any problems arising from the service wire are repaired by PSEG because they own it and that is part of supplying the power to you. You, as a homeowner or business owner, are typically responsible for the electrical components that exists on your building only. On the contrary, an underground service is owned by the homeowner. While rare, if a break should occur, it is typically up to the homeowner to get the break repaired. These situations mostly constitute emergency service calls from fault locating companies (we do this as well), and is usually expensive and potentially invasive, particularly if there is a break under a driveway for instance. Again, this is rare but it can happen.
An underground service trench from a PSEG pole to the house meter
Most of our customers that opt for an underground service do so when their home is being built or because it needs to be moved to accommodate a pool or other structure that may interfere with it. We do lots of these in addition to typical above ground service changes and would be happy to do yours!
Thanks for taking the time to read this article, if you have any questions or would like to inquire about an underground service give us a call at 631-242-2970 or send us an email at PLESElectric@gmail.com
