Working Around Power Lines on Your Roof: What Homeowners Need to Know

(Serving Marietta, Roswell, Milton, Alpharetta & Cumming)

If you’ve ever looked up at your roof and noticed wires, anchors, brackets, or conduit attached to the shingles or roofline, you’re not alone. Homeowners across Marietta, Roswell, Milton, Alpharetta, and Cumming see this all the time — and it’s completely normal in many neighborhoods.

But when it comes time for a roof repair or replacement, those lines become a serious safety concern.
Before we talk about how roofers safely work around them, it helps to understand why these lines are even there in the first place.

🔌 Why There May Be Power Lines or Electrical Wiring on Your Roof

1️⃣ Main House Power Service Drop (Most Common)

In many Georgia neighborhoods, the main utility connection attaches directly to the roofline or fascia.
You may see:

• A weatherhead or mast

• A tension bracket

• Insulators

• Service wires touching or crossing the roof edge

This is the most common reason homeowners see electrical lines near the roof.

2️⃣ Solar Panels & Renewable Energy Systems

Solar installations often require:

• Conduit runs

• Microinverter wiring

• Shutoff boxes

These components frequently sit close to or directly on the roof surface.

3️⃣ Security Lighting, Cameras & Motion Systems

Most are installed near gutters, but older systems or DIY setups sometimes route wiring onto the roof or fascia.

4️⃣ Cable, Internet & Phone Lines

Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum, and Google Fiber commonly anchor their low-voltage lines to:

• Fascia

• Soffits

• Roof brackets

• Behind gutters

These aren’t dangerous like power lines, but can still interfere with roofing work.

5️⃣ Power Feeds to Detached Structures

Many North Atlanta homes have detached garages, sheds, or workshops.
In older layouts, the power line feeding the outbuilding may cross directly over the main roof.

6️⃣ Generator & Backup Power Systems

Homes with whole-home generators sometimes have rooftop conduit leading to the transfer switch or main panel.

7️⃣ HVAC, Ventilation, or Specialty Fan Wiring

Attic fans and ventilation systems occasionally route wiring along the roof.

8️⃣ Old or Abandoned Wiring

Disconnected satellite lines, outdated phone lines, or old alarm wiring often remain attached long after they’re no longer in use.

⚠️ Who Handles These Lines? Not the Roofer.

Georgia law does not allow roofers to move or disconnect energized electrical lines.
The utility company is responsible for anything up to the legal attachment point.

They can:

• De-energize lines

• Temporarily drop them

• Move them for safe roof access

• Reconnect after the job

But that’s where their responsibility ends.

When a home needs repairs on the mast, conduit, meter, riser, or any homeowner-side components, we rely on our trusted licensed partner:

🔌 North Georgia Electrical Services

https://northgeorgiaelectricalservices.org/

They handle:

• Masthead repairs

• Riser & conduit replacement

• Damaged meter bases

• Unsafe attachment points

• Electrical code corrections

• Anything on the homeowner’s side of the system

This ensures your home is safe and compliant before any roofing work begins.

🥾 Split Boots & Zipper Boots — Why They Matter

When power lines or cable lines are located right beside a plumbing vent, roofers can’t slide a traditional one-piece boot over the pipe.
That’s where split boots and zipper boots come in.

These boots open along the side so they can wrap around an existing vent without disturbing electrical hardware.

But they MUST be installed correctly — or they will leak.

A proper installation requires:
✔️ a perfectly aligned seam
✔️ correct sealants in the zipper or split channel
✔️ proper flashing integration
✔️ secure fastening on the downslope side
✔️ ensuring no wire tension pulls against the boot

A poorly installed zipper or split boot can fail in the first good rain.

Common signs of a failing boot:

• Gaps along the seam

• Cracking around the split channel

• Water stains on bathroom ceilings

• Musty odor or attic moisture

• Exposed pipe showing above the boot

Because these boots are almost always installed near electrical lines, repairs require safe handling, coordination, and proper installation.

At Zenith Roofing, we install split and zipper boots frequently on homes with:

• Tight service-drop areas

• Brackets or anchors blocking the pipe

• Older wiring running across vent stacks

• Improper past repairs

We coordinate with the utility company and North Georgia Electrical Services to ensure the area is safe before replacing the boot.

📞 Have Power Lines or Electrical Hardware on Your Roof?

Don’t let an untrained roofer put your home — or themselves — at risk.
Let us evaluate the setup, coordinate with the utility, and ensure everything is handled correctly.

👉 Schedule your free roof inspection today.
Proudly serving Marietta, Roswell, Milton, Alpharetta & Cumming.