Talk of The Villages Florida

Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)

- Weather Talk (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/weather-talk-515/)

- - Lightning (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/weather-talk-515/lightning-316292/)

Caution: Never take a shower when lightning is in the area. We had one person here in The Villages injured while taking a shower and the house was struck. We had a second case when the home was struck and the homeowner was lucky to have escaped injury.

Lightening hit the side of our aluminum fence in Massachusetts..into our house and blew electric plugs off wall— ran the entire length of house and destroyed bed room fan— stove fridge All plugs in kitchen -tv- into mother in law suite and killed stove and fridge - then out side fence and jumped to neighbors house destroying items there. I have picture of burn Mark into side of house near fence and out the opposite side!! And LOUD!!!

Keep in mind a surge protector will NOT protect your home from a lightning strike. That is not what they are designed to do. Also keep in mind that lightning can enter your home through electrical system wiring. TV cable from a strike in the pedestal in the back yard or the cable in the ground. Through the sprinkler system wiring or piping. Through your water pipes, Or it can (and does) blow a hole in the roof and create all sorts of mayhem.

Our neighbors palm was struck last April and debris was scattered over both lawns. We each lost one TV, even with surge protection.
We had sold our home, the closing was in 3 days and we were moving the last few items to our new home. We took separate vehicles to make the few remaining trips. My husband went back to our original home first and was there for about an hour before me. Upon entering the garage, there was a strong gas smell. We immediately called the gas company. A line in the attic had a hole in it due to an arch from the lightening.
We were not aware that the gas lines are located in the attic (never really thought about it) and constructed of plastic hosing.
Fortunately, everything was fine and repaired prior to the home inspection but it’s scary to think this could have ended very differently. The gas company and repair technician told us this is not uncommon .

I had Lightning Rods installed mainly because of gas lines in the attic. The only thing still using gas in my home is my heat, so maybe I will convert to electric when the time comes to upgrade. I have read that no homes in The Villages have been seriously damaged w. Lightning Rods installed

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 1901841)

And what I can’t understand is the people that continue to play golf or hit balls at Sarasota when lightning is dancing all around 🙄🙄.

I agree with you on that one. We've lived here 11 yrs and you can drive past any golf course when the skies are black, it's thundering/ lightening and people will still be playing golf. It's said if you can hear thunder get to cover as lightening can strike. Crazy people just don't understand that here in FL it's a bit different than where they came from. Though even "up north" one can get hit by lightening. BUT here they count (in the thousands) of lightening strikes any storm may have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marjorie Hardman (Post 1901873)

I definitely have a new respect for lightening. I use to love sitting on my porch in NY watching it light up the sky. Not here. This past August I took my 2 dogs out to my backyard. Storms were predicted and my one pup has developed a fear of thunder since moving here almost 4yrs ago. So before the storm got close I took them out to do their business. All of a sudden he started pulling myself and my other pup toward the lanai door. He was adamant about going inside. Mind you the area was not in an active storm. We all got into the house and not 60 seconds later there was an extremely loud crack of thunder, one like I never heard before; and it was right outside my house. What was so frightening, it was where we had just been not a minute before. I realized my house had been struck by lightening. I started investigating and found lots of damage. 2 TVs with their cable boxes, all electric in garage, the AC was not working along with the sprinkler system. I could go on and on.listing the damage. This was with a surge protector on my circuit breaker box and one on a TV, which obviously didn't work. Everything was eventually repaired or replaced. I had a protector put on the meter box. Things can be fixed or replaced, lives can't. Thanks to my wonderful pup pulling us in, the 3 of us were alive. Now we don't go outside, even if the storm seems to be in the distance. It can change its proximity to anyone in an instant. As I said a new respect maybe even a little fear.

My dog hates thunder and lightning storms ever since we moved here. She never reacted to them before and we've been exposed to horrendous thunder, lightning, tropical storm and hurricanes but she will now react before I'm aware of the change in weather or receive a weather alert.
She somehow senses them from miles away and is my early warning system.
Luckily, she doesn't turn into a hyperventilating, quivering, drooling, 65 lb. mass of dogflesh but she will attach herself to whatever portion of my body that's closest.

Glad you and your pups were safe.
Good pup!
Very scary situation.

What you have as home qwners have experienced at the villiages with lighting stricks has me thinking twice if I really what to relocate to florida. Please let me know what you think. Sound like a dangerious and costly location.

So does anyone get both the SECO installed Primary Surge Protection on the exterior electric meter and also the surge protector usually installed on your electric panel by a licensed electrical or would that just be redundant? I realize that either way I would also need high quality surge protectors for all secondary electronics in the home.
Thanks

Have all this problem with lighting strucks would you buy a house knowing this now

What you have as home owners have experienced at the villiages with lighting strucks has me thinking twice if I really what to relocate to florida. Please let me know what you think. Sound like a dangerious and costly location to live there at villiages

Want to see lighting strike live on you’re computer

Go here

Real Time Lightning Map :: LightningMaps.org

Our policy for lightning strikes covered any appliance with a motor. Since then I upgraded our coverage to cover all the appliances and the A/C unit. We have the coverage thru Duke Energy. Thought I bought the best they had the first time around. Live & Learn.

The new stove was purchased on my dime. We are lucky it wasn't worse. I'm grateful.

It is belts and suspenders

It is amazing to me to see so many people using umbrellas during a storm with thunder and lightning! It is like carrying a “hit me” sign on your head. Invest in a hooded, lightweight rain jacket or get wet. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning...even if it isn’t raining where you are. Take this seriously.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelfmi (Post 1902132)

To respond to this situation about lightning. Almost every year we have had a major lightning strike to a home in The Villages and some have burnt down. Not so much since homes are now being built with no gas installations. North central Florida is considered The Lightning Capital of the U.S.

That said, on another thread you are asking about transportation in The Villages, so I am guessing you are considering moving here. If you have not been here to The Villages, it is wise to come and see how amazing this place is. I have lived here for over a dozen years now and I STILL cannot believe how wonderful it is and how wonderfully run it is, so clean, the flowers at all of the intersections have just been changed out again and this batch is fuchsia, pink, purple and white and it is stunning. They are changed out four or five times a year and each time I drive along, I cannot believe how the roads are litter free and the grass and bushes neatly trimmed. It is so nice here. I am so lucky we live here.