REC uses ground patrol and aerial patrol as techniques to discover potential problem areas.

Inspections often find the following types of problems:

• Pole tops weakened by woodpecker holes
• Damaged insulators (e.g. insulator broken or flashed over)
• Blown arresters
• Damaged or deteriorating conductor
• Loose or broken hardware (e.g. damaged crossarms, bolts that have loosened, broken crossarm braces)
• Dead or leaning trees that could fall and contact the line
• Debris on wires or poles (helium balloons, dove decoys, trash)
• Obstructions/encroachments within the right of way
• Any activity within the right of way that may endanger the public
• Trees that have fallen and may block urgently needed access to the lines
• Storage of items within our right of way that could potentially be blown into the lines during high winds
• Deer stands within the right of way or attached to poles