Lightning strikes villa in Belvedere today
 

Destroyed 40% of home but homeowner o.k. From online news. This was in Cherry Hill Villas in Belvedere which is near Belvedere that runs off 466. Fairly close to the Charter School campus for those new to The Villages or not yet a Villager..

oh my...thats terrible! i sure hate to hear it and hope they come out of this ok.

Glad no one was injured but sorry for the loss.

I was watching the lightning strikes on Weather Bug "Spark". Amazing how many strikes there were in that short time span.

I am glad to have lightning rods on my house. They were there when I bought the home but most likely, I would have bought them myself. Makes me feel a lot safer.

Was at the gym and noticed a lightning bolt that seemed like it hit the ground by Katie Belle's. No damage was caused, at least to my knowledge.

Was down here for one week, when a home in the NW corner, burned down. :22yikes:

Shook me up but since then, I got around to purchasing lighting rods for the homestead and feel much safer. Especially when a storm passed last year and with 4 solar tubes, it made it seem like I was in a disco, with strobe lights.

Sorry to hear this person has to experience what thunderstorms are like, in the lightning capital of the world.

We were @Southern Trace when the storm hit. Saw the billowing smoke and very high flames. We went through the Belvedere gate and saw the fire trucks going into the villas. According to the online news, about 60% of the house was saved.

Feel the same way. We had lightning rods put up a few months ago.

Who do others recommend to install lightning rods? We are new to TV this month.

We've had 5 strikes on our street in 5 years. All hit between homes at the irrigation system and blew out air-conditioners, breakers, appliances, electronics and garage door openers. Some homes lost more than others and all were told by fire depts and various electricians that lightening rods would not have helped in any of these situations.

For the best results only select firms that are listed by both Underwriters Laboratories and their installers have been qualified by examination by the Lightning Protection Institute. Door-to-door solicitors will not meet this criteria. Don't be fooled by their low ball prices or telling you that they use UL listed parts and equipment. Just because they are in the Yellow Pages does not necessarily mean that the meet the above UL and LPI criteria. Here are two firms known to be working in TV: A-1 Lightning is one and the other is Triangle Lightning that has an ad in the July POA Bulletin

I have heard this a lot over my last 25 years in Florida, however the link below indicates that title belongs to The Congo in Africa. We (Tampa to Orlando corridor) are #1 in the US though.

Shocking Find: Central Africa is the lightning 'capital' of the world News - The Weather Network

We had a direct hit 6/5, two large holes in our roof, thinking about the lightening rods, Triangle just did our neighbors..we live in Poinciana just off Bailey Trail.

Triangle did mine about a month or so ago and I feel so much better and calmer when the storms begin rumbling.

If a neighbor has a lightning rod installed ,he is just about guaranteeing that his neighbors will have their houses damaged--via irrigation, plumbing & electric lines

There are ground strikes and direct strikes according to the expert who came to our village meeting on the subject. If anyone wants him to speak to their group or has a question, his name is Lightning on this forum.


He has been involved with the University of Florida at Gainesville seeking and getting information on lightning after becoming interested after moving here several years ago and after seeing lightning burn homes to the ground and has prepared a power point informational presentation. He is a villager, and is not affiliated with any lightning rod installer. In fact will not give you any information about any of them.


I didn't want to go to this meeting when I heard about it and was very, oh I am not trying to be funny, enlightened. He knows his stuff. In the last decade, at least seven homes have burnt to the ground in The Villages. This area of Florida IS the lightning capital of the U.S.

Had my house done for about $600 it was a no brainier.

U do have a better sense of security knowing the system is there.








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Who did you use Jimbo?

Interesting UF Lightning Study
 

Found this article from a 2002 UF study interesting, as it more closely applies to ground/soil conditions found in TV than much of the other literature on the subject of PLS (Lightning Protection Systems, aka, Lightning Rods).

UF Lightning Study

Did I hear right that this house is one that has gas pipes running threw the attic?????

Homes that have a gas stove and pipes that run through their attic has a better chance of having more damage, if struck by lightning.

Surge protection is another form of protection to prevent expensive electronics/appliances from being damaged. I bought mine from SECO and and them installed it. The other is to pay $5 per month on your bill forever. I figure out after 6 years, I would break even and then be ahead, going forward.

I used Triangle Lightning, (352) 483-7020 and the cost was $1,025 for a patio villa. I think it is a reasonable price and they did a great job.

What price is worth peace of mind and knowing the job was done correctly?

Some people say they will do nothing for you and some say they are required.

If my home were to be hit by lightning and caused damage, I would still feel better knowing, I did all I could to prevent it from happening, but that's me!!!

Sorry to hear that. Is this is today's Villages Daily Sun?

The University of Florida paper cited above made the rounds here in The Villages in 2007, and we discussed it with the author Dr. Radkov.

The bottom line is if you have a lightning protection system installed it is very important that you select the right contractor. Seek bids only from contractors that specialize in this work and are listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and whose installers have passed the exams offered by the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI). Door-to-door solicitors will not meet this criteria. Buyer beware!

It is the UL and LPI listed installers job to drive a sufficient number of ground rods to the proper depth to meet the standard on lightning, National Fire Protection Association 780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems, no matter what type of soil that you have at your home.

This is one of the myths that we address in our presentations, Lightning Tips for Villagers. There is no scientific evidence to support it. See University of Florida's Dr. Martin Uman's book, The Art and Science of Lightning Protection, that can be found in The Villages Belvedere Library.