[gfmucci]

I spoke with my home insurer (Sumter Marion) who said none of their carriers provide discounts on homeowners insurance for homes having lighting arrestor systems yet because they have not been proven to be effective. The agent inferred that there is some investigation ongoing, but the verdict is still out as far as the insurers are concerned.

The absence of an insurance discount at this time would not deter me from installing such system if demonstrated to be effective in reducing the risk of my house burning down from lightning. Insurance companies are big buraucracies that have to jump through many hoops to recognize technological change. So I don't expect them to be at the cutting edge of recognizing effective lighting arrestors.

Yeah, so our home is insured if it burns down from a lightning strike. Getting your insurance money back to rebuild your house is just half the aggravation. Having a year taken out of your life living in a rental unit, the stress of rebuilding and reequiping a new house and the loss of irreplacable collections of whatever cannot really be compensated by insurance.

[samhass]

gfmucci said
"Yeah, so our home is insured if it burns down from a lightning strike. Getting your insurance money back to rebuild your house is just half the aggravation. Having a year taken out of your life living in a rental unit, the stress of rebuilding and reequiping a new house and the loss of irreplacable collections of whatever cannot really be compensated by insurance. "

How true. I just know I'm very glad we installed the rods and also have professional surge protection on everything. I broker professional satellite broadcast equipment and was able to purchase the surge protectors wholesale. Buying retail still makes them a worthy purchase IMHO. Look for the joules rating. Granted, a direct hit is going to fry your surge protector. Nothing is going to keep your electronics safe from a direct hit. I'm just hoping to avoid that direct hit with the rods.

[SteveFromNY]

A1 is going to check out my house and call me back soon as well.

[Don H]

I think Sidney has a good question about whether lightning rods are even acceptable by The Villages covenants. I looked at the A-1 site and it seems that lightning rods play a significant role in protection. I don't live in TV yet but for those who are considering an installation, it might be better to contact whoever is in charge of the rules to find out what is permitted before speaking with a contractor.

[samhass]

Don, I would think that with the gas lines in the attic, TV would be very happy for you to install the rods.

[784caroline]

I just had cable and telephone upgrades at our house and both installers told me I was not grounded from the main feed line to my plastic box that connected all the lead wires into my house. They had to both add and grounding wire ......... As one one earlier said a direct hit will not stop anything but a ground wire at the feed wire into your house certainly is a first line of defense. Just pop the box cover off and see if you can see a ground wire (normally a clamp with a copper wire exposed)) leading to the ground AND connected to a metal pipe of some type. The telephone guy told me he has worked alot of overtime lately for lightning just blew the telehone box off the side of the house ..scary stuff and he reminded me to stay of the telephone when it is lightning outside.

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Don H

I think Sidney has a good question about whether lightning rods are even acceptable by The Villages covenants. I looked at the A-1 site and it seems that lightning rods play a significant role in protection. I don't live in TV yet but for those who are considering an installation, it might be better to contact whoever is in charge of the rules to find out what is permitted before speaking with a contractor.

There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of homes throughout TV with rods. I'm not checking with anyone if I decide to put them on.

[JohnN]

Steve,
I thought all home modifications need to go through the ARB?? I'd guess if there are thousands, this is standard, but it's still part of the covenant procedure.

784caroline, WOW, seems the builder should be grounding this properly at the get-go????

gfmucci, I'm not surprised the insurance companies don't give a discount - even if they work. Sounds like my health insurance not covering lasik, even though I no longer file claims for contacts and glasses. Any way to save a buck, and insurance companies will do it.

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by JohnN

I thought all home modifications need to go through the ARB?? I'd guess if there are thousands, this is standard, but it's still part of the covenant procedure.

:redface:

You're right. Let's just say I would be surprised if there was any issue.

[JohnN]

Steve,
I'd put 'em up too!!!

now maybe if we put up wind turbines (from another thread) the lightning would be attracted to them, eh? LOLOL

[784caroline]

JohnN
The builder only provides the inside cable and telephone wires which allows an installer from the cable company or the telephone service to "properly" install and ground the lead wire that connects to the house wires that are in your plastic boxes outside your house.

[Sidney Lanier]

Don H: I would suspect that even if a review is required to put up a lightning arresting system, it would be a routine rubber stamp. (Hope I won't have to eat my words....) The owner of A1 said he's done 1,000 homes in TV (and I would like to believe that he's being truthful...); for sure samhass mentioned in an earlier posting on this thread that they had their house done by this company and they did it very well.

Sam, did you have to get a review and their approval, or was it something that you were just able to go ahead and have done? Thanks, everyone, for info!

[samhass]

Steve, I think many of those rods you see were installed by less than qualified people. The man next door had an outfit in to do his at a special price. (1,500)I don't think there is a lick of copper on the whole job. ..and he did the whole job in a few hours. My job took three days to install. When we said something to the foreman of the next door job about using all aluminum, he got all belligerent and said "he had been doing this for 25 years". I feel sorry for all the people he "did" in the last 25 years. He "did" them alright.

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of homes throughout TV with rods. I'm not checking with anyone if I decide to put them on.

[samhass]

Sid, A-1 handled everything.

BTW, for all of you that call A-1, you should tell them they need to place an ad on TOTV.

[Sidney Lanier]

A really important point, samhass--thanks for mentioning it! I don't know much yet about lightning systems, but I do know that aluminum is for sure the wrong material to use for conducting lightning to the ground; the stuff has a propensity to melt with enough heat!!!