Lightning Rods
 

Am moving to Mallory Square in a CYV, and am interested in placing a lightening rod system in from A1 Lightening (which I read of this forum to be a reputable UL company.) My question is do I need permission from anyone before going ahead and installing this system? It sounds like many people have it and allot of the commercail buildings in the Market Squares are equipped with it too.

jimbo:

So far as I know, no permissions/permits required!

SWR
:beer3:

I don't think permission is needed. Advanced Lightning Protection installed my system and I had it UL certified (extra fee.) All went well and the certificate was issued with no problem. Hopefully, it will NEVER have to do what it does....though we've had a strike in the neighborhood.....hit a utility box and phone and cable went kaput for a bit!

Anyone willing to share info on approx costs of installation?

Depends on the size of your house and number of rods needed. We paid around $1500.

If you make an appointment with A1 they will come to your home and explain the system ..... without any obligation. They will also provide you with a quote. I had them install the protection system and was pleased with their work.

Thanks Midge and Pooh...I will give them a call.

Five rod installation $800.

Do we really need lightning rods? Are there any stats?

Trogg

No you don't really need them. It's sort of a crap shoot...your home might or might not get hit. If it does, the rods will direct the strike to the ground. There's lots of lightning in this particular area of Florida and it does hit things. Saw a tree on one of the golf courses that was hit...tree was pretty damaged. Saw a palm tree that had been hit, top was all burned. My friend who lives on the golf course, has seen it hit the ground. It hit the utility box not far from her house and that was a hit heard extremely loud and clear by our neighborhood. It was so loud I felt we had been hit! Cable went out, phone went out. Telephone service was out for some for almost a week, lots of underground wiring had to be replaced. Having the system makes me feel better, but I have not idea if it will ever have to do what it's designed for.

Having a lightning rod system installed is like having something insured: A complete waste of money............until you need it. Then if you don't have it, you'll be kicking yourself!

Bill

Central Florida is the 'lightning capital" of the world .... 'if you plan to live and stay here ..........'

Lightning Issues
 

I am a volunteer member of the Study Group on Lightning that has no commerical affilation to any firm in the lightning/surge protection industry. The purpose of the group is to serve as a resource to Villagers seeking fact- based info on making an informed decsion on their lightning risk here in the "Lightning Capital of the USA". Our formation was motivated by many of the myths and misunderstanding about lightning. Our major resouce is the research conducted by the University of Florida and Dr. Martin Uman's book, [I]The Art and Science of Lightning Protection. We have given 41 Power Point presentations to Vilage clubs over the last two years. We also author a column, Lightning Matters in the monthly POA Bulletin.
There is no governmental oversite on the installation of a lighting protection system (rods) and therefore it is a buyer beware marketplace. We sugges using only installers "listed" by both Underwriters Laboratories and the Lightning Protection Institute. The cost will be more but you have greater assurnace that the installation conforms to the national standard on lightning, NFPA-780.

Yes, lightning rods are something to think about. I think the current total of TV homes destroyed by lightning, (bolt hits roof, burns small hole, small fire ignites the gas flex line in attic, house is gone in minutes), is now 7.

At much higher risk is your home's electronic equipment, virtually everything that's plugged in. I'd love to know the stats on this, but I am always hearing about people having to replace a bunch of expensive electronic appliances after one of our many storms. My priority lightning protection is a whole-house surge protection system. You can buy them from SECO, with a one-time or monthly payment, or have them installed by reputable electrical contractors.

The installation of a lightning protection system (rods) is an unregulated business and a buyer beware marketplace. You should choose a firm that is listed by UL and the Lightning Protection Institute. A-1 Lightning is one of three UL and LPI listed firms known to be working in The Villages.