Since the invention of lightning rods by Ben Franklin in the mid 1700's, the technology of lightning protection has evolved to provide proven protection for our homes and businesses.
FACTS
- Lightning rods will neither attract nor repel lightning. They simply provide a pre-determined path of low resistance to the ground, where a harmless discharge takes place.
- A custom designed system may be concealed during construction or semi-concealed on existing buildings, thereby not interfering with the aesthetics of the architecture. Roof terminals are only 10" tall.
- Will give your family peace of mind, save money for costly repairs on the building and/or appliances, and increase the value of your home.
- Structural damage simulated in General Electric Laboratories showed that lightning caused metal to vaporize, wood to split, bricks & stones to burst, and concrete to shatter.
- Lightning protection systems today are constructed of durable materials. Maintenance is not required unless you make changes to the structure, the roof or add a satellite dish.
- Main components of lightning protection are:
- Air Terminals installed on roof ridges, dormer, chimneys, ventilators and other structures.
- Main Conductors are cables that interconnect the air terminals to grounds.
- Ground Terminations are typically copper or copper-clad rods driven into the earth approximately 2'-5' from the foundation and a minimum of 10' in depth.
- Bonding Connections are made to equalize the potential between grounded metal objects.
- Lightning Arresters protect wiring from lightning induced damage.
- Surge Suppressors may be added to further protect valuable electronic equipment.
FICTION
- A grounded home is protected against lightning strikes. Grounding only protects electrical safety.
- Our antenna is grounded. This is not meant to handle a lightning strike and allows dangerous current to enter the home.
- The trees surrounding our home are higher and will protect our home from strikes. Many times trees are struck and side flash to the house.
- Installing protection is a great "do it yourself" project. Your first clue that this is a bad idea should be that there aren't any Saturday morning classes at your local hardware store on this subject. A proper system takes into account your home's design, construction, electrical components, soil conditions and more. The tiniest spark from an improperly installed system could cause fire, death or injury.
- Lightning never strikes the same place twice. Since lightning results from a cloud-to-ground attraction, it only makes sense that the conditions causing the first strike, could produce another one.
- Surge arrestors and suppressors are already protecting my home. Surge suppressors are important components of a complete system, but can do nothing to protect a structure against direct lightning strikes. Arrestors must be installed in conjunction with a lightning protection system.
- Insurance will cover damages, so I'll take my chances. This is generally true for an initial occurrence; however, second and third claims may be denied. Non-renewal of policies has occurred after a lightning claim has been entered.
- I live in a low-lying area; I'm safe from lightning. False, all elevations are susceptible to strikes.