Lightning Protection
 

Has anyone had a lighting protection system (made up of properly engineered lightning rods and properly sized cables/ground rods) installed?

Lynn:

Yes. August 2009. On a Gardenia, in Sunset Pointe.

Triangle Lightning Protection, Inc., Eustis, FL. 352-483-7020.

Just over $1,300 - somewhat discounted because several on the street did it at the same time.

I'm entirely satisfied, although many hasten to remind me that we haven't really had any significant threatening weather since the incidents in early August 2009, so who knows whether the system works!

For my peace of mind, though, it does work!

SWR
:beer3:

See the Lightning Mattes column of the April POA Bulletin. If you don't have it see POA4US.org as you will find the list of three UL and LPI listed installers.

I am so glad so many of my neighbors have these lighting attractors. I really feel much safer.

Hmmm
 

How are ya doing buddie? - How is the retirement life going?

Soooo where do you live? I have some metal rods and miles of copper wire from scrapping my electric cart!

Just kidding! :a20:

We asked the builder that question at our walk through.
 

He said you really want all of your neighbors to get them. You don't want them yourself. Do you really want to attract lightning to come through the roof of your house. I think not. He did recommend the SECO ground fault protection on the electric meter. We had that installed for piece of mind. We hope to never know if it works. :22yikes:

Good Point
 

Gee, I never thought about being the only lightning rod in the neighborhood and attracting lightning to my home. Thanks for pointing that out. But I will look into the SECO ground fault.

Are there any other lightning-protection things we ought to be aware of?

Lightening rods don't attract lightening. Your house could be hit by lightening even if your neighbor's house has a lightening rod. Here is a very short and consise explanation of that myth. There are many more detailed explanations available on the web.

Lightning Myths - Lightning rods attract lightning :: Storm Highway Weather Library

Always wonder if the lightning rods work, just like up North and putting deer alerts on the car bumpers. I guess if you don't hit a deer they work, but will you know if you alerted a deer to avoid that collision???

Lightning rods have been around now for 260 years and they do work if they are designed, installed, and maintained according to the national standard on lightning. There is no evidence that they "attract" lightning - this is a common myth with no scientific support. They merely give potentially dangerous lightning a safe path to ground. See Dr. Martin Uman's book in The Villages Library, The Art & Science of Lightning Protection, and the Lightning Matters columns at the POA4us.org web site. If you want to see lightning protection in use please observe all of the buildings at Sumter Landing, all of the water & sewer pumping stations, and even on fire headquarters. SECO surge protection is worthwhile for INDIRECT lightning strikes but not for a DIRECT lightning strike.