[jrref]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

What I am particularly interested in is challenging this misinformation and bad statistics. Everyone should decide for themselves whether they want a LPS but they should make that decision based on good data, not scary pictures.

And the mission of the Villages Lightning Study Group is to do just that. To provide factual information, dispute myths and create awareness so Villagers can make their own decisions to reduce the risk or not. Unfortunately, lightning strike pictures are scary but they are also reality.

I'm not aware of any other groups here in the Villages creating awareness on Lightning and Surge Protection unless you know of any?

[BoatRatKat]

I mentioned this in a previous post about the LPS. Years ago in a previous house we had to get a new roof due to hail damage that our insurance company was paying for. Since lightening was very bad in the area we asked our insurance company if getting lightening protection was a good idea. They told us that they do NOT recommend that people put them on their houses, so we elected not to. I'm neither for or against them but perhaps for those on the fence about getting them...give your insurance company a call and see what they say.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by BoatRatKat

I mentioned this in a previous post about the LPS. Years ago in a previous house we had to get a new roof due to hail damage that our insurance company was paying for. Since lightening was very bad in the area we asked our insurance company if getting lightening protection was a good idea. They told us that they do NOT recommend that people put them on their houses, so we elected not to. I'm neither for or against them but perhaps for those on the fence about getting them...give your insurance company a call and see what they say.

Not sure why the insurance company said that and it's "convenient" they didn't give you a reason but in speaking with a Batterbee representative they told me installation of a LPS will not void the roof warranty if installed properly which is why you need to have a LPI or UL certified installer. There are thousands of installations here in the Villages and I'm not aware of any roof issues. It also might depend on what state you live in as well.

[HappyTraveler]

Originally Posted by BoatRatKat

I mentioned this in a previous post about the LPS. Years ago in a previous house we had to get a new roof due to hail damage that our insurance company was paying for. Since lightening was very bad in the area we asked our insurance company if getting lightening protection was a good idea. They told us that they do NOT recommend that people put them on their houses, so we elected not to. I'm neither for or against them but perhaps for those on the fence about getting them...give your insurance company a call and see what they say.

It's always good to learn what insurance companies view as worthwhile or not. Their very business, and what they do all day, is assess these risks. So, they have more detailed info than any of us posting here.

But, did you not ask the all-important question of WHY they don't recommend it? The details are relevant for having a better understanding of this issue.

[bopat]

Well I'm gonna keep playing the lottery, and now that we're in Florida, gonna see which hits first, lightning or the lottery!

[FredMitchell]

This page and the next page provide a nice visual look at relative risks. You can see that although Miami - Fort Lauderdale get reported for the highest city risks, the activity levels in Sumter and its surrounding counties rank among the highest in the nation. Florida leads in deaths by lightning.

[EDIT] page forward to the lightning maps. They are interactive, too, so you can look by county.

Maybe someone can contact Vaisala to see if there is public access to their database, if you want to get raw data for risk calculations.

BTW. Some of the posters need to understand that "lightning" is two syllables, not three. So stop inserting an "e" into "lightning". You are turning it into a word describing a weight reducing activity!

[DeLunatics]

We live about a half mile from the house struck in the original post.

Saturday evening's storm was the biggest electrical storm I've ever personally witnessed, not in terms of wind and rain, but of intensity, proximity, and duration. Usually storms just pass over.

Monday evening's storm dumped much more rain, but Saturday's lightning seemed to stall right on top of us.

It made an impression.

Still not ready for an LPS, but we are having whole house surge suppression installed next week; an Eaton Ultra on the panel, and the appropriate devices outside for the AC compressor, and pool panel.

It's not very expensive and seems like a reasonable precaution to take against reasonable risks.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I'm not against LPS at all. However, I'm against the constant nagging of scare-mongers who insist that everyone needs to have LPS or face certain death and destruction. Every year during the hurricane season it's thread after thread after thread, post after post after post, and it is more pervasive than the actual risk of lightning.

[MsPCGenius]

Don't know if this has been mentioned but, I "heard" that a major contributor to the subsequent damage is that gas lines run through the attics. If the home is the unfortunate receiver of a lightening strike, it is highly likely that the gas line will ignite and fire is the result....

Don't quote me...

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Aces4

The jealousy is pretty obvious. Sorry the disruption in sequence, the blurps popping up in the middle of paragraphs make posting difficult.

What jealousy would be involved?
The thought process?
The house that went up in flames, nowhere nearby, and you had LPS, but didn’t know if your house was hit?
Didn’t research other than the two contractors posted, found another would install sooner to put mind at ease?

Because it can’t be about the money….it less $ than the cruise that all residents frequent.

For two coastal homes, LPS was an option at build, and was actually less than 1/2 of kitchen appliances. Truthfully 2’ higher stilts would have better money spent. ⚡️ is on the low points after the hurricanes and flooding.

Insurance allows credit for silting, but nothing for LPS.
Sailboat can’t use LPS. However insurance if protected with other ⚡️options does give a decent credit discount.

In the 18 years in TV and 5 different homes and villages, we have considered LPS, and other options. But once you have a hurricane claim in TV, all other weather events seem less concerning.
We have ability to tap into weather related studies for different lightning avenues. Just awaiting results

[Bwanajim]

I spent my whole life in Fort Lauderdale , there was plenty of lightning, and I never saw a lightning rod protectors on a house in my entire life there. I would really be curious if there was any house in the villages WITH lightning protection that still got struck.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by MsPCGenius

Don't know if this has been mentioned but, I "heard" that a major contributor to the subsequent damage is that gas lines run through the attics. If the home is the unfortunate receiver of a lightening strike, it is highly likely that the gas line will ignite and fire is the result....

Don't quote me...

The manufacturer of the CSST gas lines used here recommends a LPS for installation in some states including FL.

The CSST gas lines contacted by lightning often develop small perforations, around 100 mils wide, in the wall of the tubing when the lightning arcs from the CSST to an adjacent object.

This arcing burns a hole in the CSST which causes a gas leak and, in many cases, ignition of the gas which leads to a house fire.

https://www.gastite.com/downloads/pd...e_di_guide.pdf

ALL OWNERS should consult a lightning safety consultant to determine whether installation of a lightning protection system would be required to achieve sufficient protection for all building components from lightning.

Factors to consider include whether the area is prone to lightning. Areas with high lightning risk include but are not limited to: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, lowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexi-co, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

One currently available source of information regarding areas more prone to lighting than others is the flash density map provided by the National Weather Service which can be found at http://www.lightningsafety.noaa. gov/lightning_map.htm.

Lightning protection systems are beyond the scope of this manual and installation guidelines, but are covered by National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 780, the Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems, and other standards.

[CarlR33]

Ok, so this just happened to me Monday night. Lightning strike did not appear to be a direct hit or I cannot find any holes anywhere for entry but it did come into the house blowing all my LED cabinet lights, sprinkler controller, smart WiFi wall switch, one computer monitor, cable modem as well as separate WiFi modem, LED attic light, garage door opener, microwave oven, and lastly the flexible gas supply hose on the gas stove (see pic). I was in the house when it happened and had neighbors texting me did your house get hit. Another resident in our village had a similar hit on their stove gas supply line about a month ago. I will be calling Duke to get their surge protection at the meter. I do not think from what I have read on here that lightning rods would have helped since it was not a direct hit?

[daniel200]

At a rate of 12 hits per year, it will take 58 years for lightning to hit 1% of the Villages 70,000 roofs.

But I will not be here to celebrate the milestone.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by CarlR33

Ok, so this just happened to me Monday night. Lightning strike did not appear to be a direct hit or I cannot find any holes anywhere for entry but it did come into the house blowing all my LED cabinet lights, sprinkler controller, smart WiFi wall switch, one computer monitor, cable modem as well as separate WiFi modem, LED attic light, garage door opener, microwave oven, and lastly the flexible gas supply hose on the gas stove (see pic). I was in the house when it happened and had neighbors texting me did your house get hit. Another resident in our village had a similar hit on their stove gas supply line about a month ago. I will be calling Duke to get their surge protection at the meter. I do not think from what I have read on here that lightning rods would have helped since it was not a direct hit?

I don't have the answer for that but am sorry for the damage you have suffered in your home. Happy that you weren't injured with that strike and good luck with the damage. You may want the privacy so if you don't want to share the information, I understand.. may I ask which Village these two lightning incidences occurred?