Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael 61
I got a breaking news email from that “alternative” Villages new source, that said a home in the Village of Linden was struck by lightning and burned down in last night’s thunder/lightning activity. Since this my first summer living here, was curious how often this happens - Common, Not-So-Common, One-Off?
I feel so bad for the homeowners, luckily no one was home at the time of fire, as they were up North.
|
I have been coming to the villages since 1999. I have heard of lightening strikes and homes burning down more times than I can count. Not many, one every two years maybe, but it most certainly does happen! Mind you, I am not a full timer. I do not know the exact numbers.
Once, while renting a cyv in 2017 at sumter landing, a lightening strike blew the appliances in the home. ( air conditioner, garage door opener, water heater, sprinklers etc). Not only in the home I was renting but in several of the villas in close proximity. The owner called a repairman who quickly came to fix the air conditioning. As you can imagine, the house was hot!
While he was fixing the issue, I asked him how many calls like this he receives. His. answer shocked me! Quite a bit he said!
I then asked why this happens. He said homes are very close. When lightening hits one home it usually causes damage in other homes on the same side of the street. He said he believes the lightening travels through the sprinkler systems. That would be his best guess.
A few days later, the garage door repairman told me I was lucky the house did not burn down. Terrified, I asked if that happens frequently. He answered yes, but usually in homes with natural gas.
I then asked what the natural gas had to do with it. He said the lines run through the attic. If there is a spark, the home is going to burn down for sure.
As the other repairemen came to fix the issues, they each had similar stories. Yes, they are kept quite busy with lightening strikes.
I asked a few neighbors about their homes. One told me his wife smelled something burning and it was his printer in the spare bedroom melting. Another said he lost a/c, while another said his refrigerator stopped working.
It was then that I began to notice many villagers have lightening rods to protect their homes. I realized this must be a much bigger problem than I can imagine. People wouldn't purchase lightening rods if they do not feel they need them!
Since my experience at LSL, I have never rented a home with natural gas. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!
A myth that natural gas is exactly the reason a particular home burns down, or lightening travels through the sprinkler system, MAYBE, But, I experienced a lightening strike and it MOST CERTAINLY DOES HAPPEN. Don't wish to scare anyone, just telling my story.