[CoachKandSportsguy]

I have sat underneath the roof with a lightning rod when it was hit over in Boca Raton. Scared the p*** out of me. . . am not the highest house by any means, and more in a ditch so I declined the whole house lightning protection

[tophcfa]

I love the Villages, but lightning is without a doubt the worst thing about living there for me. My two favorite activities both are extremely dangerous when lightning is around. I love to swim laps and golf. Being in a pool or walking around in an open area holding a lightning rod are not good. To make matters worse, I like golfing and swimming in the late afternoon and evening right up to dark, when lightning storms seem most likely to appear. I am not complaining, I knew the deal when we bought in, but I still don't like it.

[biker1]

Regarding SECO's offering, read the fine print of the warranty. Here is a bit of it:

Under no circumstances will MTI guarantee performance due to a lightning strike not carried down the utility power
lines and through the utility transformer and then the SPD to the residence.
This warranty excludes all stand-alone “electronic equipment” using microchip, microprocessor or transistor technology, such as but not limited to computers, televisions, DVD Players/Recorders and Security Systems.

Originally Posted by Stuart Zaikov

Learning that we are in the lightning capital of the US. Considering some sort of whole house surge protector and from lightning strikes. .
Seco Energy has what they call a surge mitigator at a rather expensive cost but it only protects against surges and no help to electronics or apparently from lightning.
Have now heard of whole house surge protectors but having a problem finding out info.
Any suggestions on how to protect our entire home from surge protectors and lightning strikes?
Thanks so much for your help.

[mrf6969]

If you want a true education on the best way to protect your home from lightning then call Danny Mack at A-1 Lightning Protection. There is a lot of misinformation out there and products that are ineffective. 352-465-0620

[Quixote]

We had Seco put in a whole house surge protector on the meter box. We could have bought it outright, but this way it's theirs.... In addition, as was suggested earlier, we have smaller units within the house.

Although Florida is the Lightning Capital, the chances of a direct lightning strike are pretty slim, I was told. So why did we put in a lightning protection system? Our home is equipped with natural gas—and the gas lines the Developer was permitted to use run through the attic AND are the consistency of, IMHO, heavy cardboard. After the research we did, we felt it necessary.. On a comparative basis, the system was relatively inexpensive—and offers peace of mind! Had our home been all electric, we would not have bothered.

[chrssyb40@aol.com]

IF homeowners insurance covers you from surges or lightning strikes, is it logical that the purchase and installation of any electrical equipment is a needless expense for homeowners in the unlikely event of an electrical issue from lightning?

[eeroger]

Originally Posted by Stuart Zaikov

Learning that we are in the lightning capital of the US. Considering some sort of whole house surge protector and from lightning strikes. .
Seco Energy has what they call a surge mitigator at a rather expensive cost but it only protects against surges and no help to electronics or apparently from lightning.
Have now heard of whole house surge protectors but having a problem finding out info.
Any suggestions on how to protect our entire home from surge protectors and lightning strikes?
Thanks so much for your help.

The SECO surge protector is definitely worth the money. When I was a newbie to TV, I went the electrician route and paid a lot more than the SECO equipment. Lightning Rods ARE also worth it. My house was hit a few years ago with no damage. A neighbors house was hit last year and had thousands of dollars worth of damage. She still has residual electrical problems. Thank goodness no fire occurred. I believe there are only 2 UL listed companies who do business in TV. This is VERY important. Do not contract with anyone who goes door to door. Do your own research by looking up contractors on the Underwriters Laboratory website. There are reports every year of homes damaged by lightning strikes in TV.

[ajbrown]

Originally Posted by mrf6969

If you want a true education on the best way to protect your home from lightning then call Danny Mack at A-1 Lightning Protection. There is a lot of misinformation out there and products that are ineffective. 352-465-0620

This is who did our home, I could remember the name when I posted yesterday.

[Windguy]

I think some people are mixing up lightning protection and surge protection. The former is to prevent damage from lightning directly hitting your house. The latter is to protect sensitive electronics from being damaged by surges of energy that come in through the power lines when the electrical grid is hit by lightning.

I think everyone should have a whole house surge suppressor. Pike’s Electric installed one in my house for $300 a few years ago. Yes, the surge-suppressing power strips could help, but would you have one on your appliances, too? They all have computers in them.

Surges can also come in through your cable. I bought surge suppressors with coax connections for every used cable port in my house.

[HiHoSteveO]

SECO provides a surge protector outside at the electrical meter that you can buy or rent.

The other option for "whole house" (a misnomer) surge suppression is to have one located inside at your electrical panel for about $300-400, installed by any local electrician.

Here is a helpful 7 minute video from "ASK, This Old House."
How to Install Surge Protection | Ask This Old House - YouTube

[JudyLife]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

IMHO, get the SECO unit ($6/month), it comes with several smaller units to use inside for electronics. If you do not get enough, you can go to any of the big box stores and buy additional ones (make sure these are UL listed for SURGE protection and not as an extension cord). From first hand experience, we had a close in strike (heard it, saw it, felt it all at the same instant), it did several thousand dollars in damages to the neighbors, no apparent dame at ours, SEDO unit installed.

The SECO $6 per month unit, can you tell me is there an upfront cost to purchase this or is the only fee the $6 per month? Many thanks.

[photo1902]

Originally Posted by JudyLife

The SECO $6 per month unit, can you tell me is there an upfront cost to purchase this or is the only fee the $6 per month? Many thanks.

No offense, but if you go on the SECO website, all the details are spelled out.

[M2inOR]

If you have a lot of electronics like I do, you may also want to consider UPS devices. These are battery backup devices for your computers, cable/internet router, TV, audio system, servers, and DVR.

They come in various sizes, 400W to 1500W, and will power your devices for a short time when there is a power glitch or outage. They also have surge protection.

Why bother? Further protection of your electronic devices. No, don't plug in your appliances or laser printer if you have one.

So, when the lights go out, you'll still have power for awhile to turn things off or shutdown your computers. You may be lucky enough to see the end if that movie or mystery you may have been watching.

My UPS units helped me during those power glitches a few weeks ago when SECO had equipment problems.

UPS units are available at Costco, Sam's, Best Buy, Office Depot, and Amazon.

[PompeyKing]

One thing to remember is that a surge protector that you use in your house does not last forever. After a few years it becomes a fancy outlet expander. Most articles suggest to replace every two or so years, but then it depends on the number of 'surges' that come through the surge protector. I plan to replace my in house surge protectors every 18 months.

When Should You Replace a Surge Protector? - The Home Theater DIY "So when should you replace a surge protector? Experts recommend you replace your surge protector every 2 years. A surge protector is rated in joules, which indicate how much excessive power they can handle when an electrical surge occurs. However, this figure can be hard to track as surges vary from area to area."

[Curtisbwp]

Originally Posted by Stuart Zaikov

Learning that we are in the lightning capital of the US. Considering some sort of whole house surge protector and from lightning strikes. .
Seco Enof. ow kn ergy has what they call a surge mitigatodontr at a rather expensive cost but it only protects against surges and no help to electronics or apparently from lightning.
Have now heard of whole house surge protectors but having a problem finding out info.
Any suggestions on how to protect our entire home from surge protectors and lightning strikes?
Thanks so much for your help.

I have lived in TV since 2003 and i know of no lighting strikes. I'm sure there have been strikes that i know nothing about. I do not know but do lightning rods attract lightning?