Service Drop & Service Lateral
The two ways utility power reaches a home: a service drop swings overhead from the pole to the weatherhead; a service lateral runs underground to the meter.
Overhead drops are visible, repairable and exposed: trees, ice and vehicles account for most storm outages at individual homes, and clearance rules (over roofs, driveways and pools) are a standard inspection item. Underground laterals trade storm exposure for invisibility: failures are rarer but localization and excavation make each one a bigger event.
The conversion question (burying an overhead drop) comes up for aesthetics, solar-ready roofs and tree-heavy lots. It is real money because it involves trenching, conduit, a new meter location and utility fees, and in many territories parts of the lateral remain homeowner-owned, which matters again at repair time.
Talking to a contractor about this?
Run the project past a licensed electrical pro first. Calls are answered around the clock and routed to a pro serving your area.
- Meter Base (Meter Socket) : The enclosure the utility's electric meter plugs into, mounted on the outside of your home.
- Service Size (100 / 150 / 200 / 400 Amp) : The total amperage your home can draw from the utility, read off the main breaker.
- Disconnect (Emergency Disconnect) : A switch that cuts all power to a building or a piece of equipment.