Those living in rural areas often need to consider just how they want to bring mains electricity to their properties, and probably the most fundamental concern is whether to opt for overhead power lines or underground power lines.

Both have their own benefits and drawbacks, but those located far outside larger population areas will generally find that overhead lines meet their needs better than underground lines. Here are just five reasons why.

1. Significantly Lower Cost

Cost is often an especially important factor in rural areas since they tend to require a wide distribution of lines covering relatively large distances. Underground cables are more expensive than overhead lines since they must boast insulation capable of resisting damage from things like soil and chemicals. It's also much more expensive to install underground lines due to the excavation required, and the same is going to be true if your lines ever need to be repaired. As such, you can often make significant savings by choosing overhead lines.

2. More Convenient to Upgrade

Replacements and upgrades are tougher to handle when you choose underground lines, and that can be a problem in rural areas since the area's power needs may increase drastically in the future as population levels increase. This shouldn't be a problem with overhead lines since it is relatively easy to place extra connections and perform upgrades.

3. No Concerns Over Terrain

Rural environments are likely to include challenging terrain, which can immensely complicate the process of installing underground lines. If the ground is rocky, wet, unstable, or sandy, underground power lines will be very hard to install. Overhead line construction is far easier since poles can be set in nearly any type of terrain.

4. Less Problematic for Future Development

As noted above, rural areas may not stay so rural forever. Over time, it's possible that more people or businesses will move to the area. This doesn't just mean upgrades to power systems might be required — it's also going to necessitate more construction work. Underground lines can sometimes complicate matters since they can be harder to work around and damaged by construction work. Overhead lines make future construction work much easier to handle.

5. Easier to Spot Damage  

When power lines are above your head rather than under the ground, it's much easier to spot signs of damage. This is likely to be an especially important concern in rural areas since lines will often stretch long distances, and it might be harder to spot exactly where damage has occurred if anything ever does go wrong.

For more information on power installation, contact a company near you.

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