Beware of Unqualifed Lightning Contractors!

Village Residents Beware of Unqualifed Lightning Contractors!

The volunteer Study Group on Lightning is aware of Village residents contracting with installers who fail to meet the national lightning standard, National Fire Protection Association-780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems, 2008 edition. To find a qualified contractor that specializes in the installation of lightning protection systems see the Lightning Protection Insititute's web site at www.lightning.org or the Underwriters Laboratories web site at www. ul.com/lightning. Someone mentioned A-1 Lightning and they can be found on both lists.

Lightning systems have a 257 year track record of success if they are DESIGNED, INSTALLED, and MAINTAINED according to NFPA-780. We have interviewed five Village residents who believe that they have experienced a direct ligfhtning strike and the lightning system performed as designed without any damage to the home. But this level of success is not media newsworthy. What is newsworthy is the six homes without a lightning protection system that have been destroyed by lightning here in The Villages during the last six lightning seasons.

The Study Group on Lightning has a 30-minute Power Point presenation to help Village residents make an informed decision on direct and indirect lightning protection. It is available to Village clubs and organizations. Contact me at lhatha@aol.com.

Also see our articles on lightning in the June 2009 issues of the VHA and POA newsletters.