[jrref]

Yesterday i took a tour of homes up north near the Sunset Pointe area to see the homes that have been struck by lightning over the years. These homes generally have gas and the dreaded CSST flexible gas pipe which can fail and cause a fire during a lightning event. Many people in these areas have a Lightning Protection System to protect their homes given they have this gas piping in their home. But many do not and it may be becasue they are new owners who have no idea about this threat. Some people have taken the gas out of their homes. That said, if you live in these areas and have the original CSST yellow flexible gas piping in your home, you should definetely consider installing a lightning protection system to protect your home becasue the probability of a significant fire from a lightning event is much higher. The tour was very interesting expecially looking at the houses in Sunset Pointe and St. Charles which recently burnt down. When you see the results of a lightning event in the news paper, it gives you concern but when you see it in person and can smell the burnt home and see the personal belongings burnt and destroyed through the openings in the home, it becomes real.