[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Altavia

* There is discussion to add LPS to the building code -installation cost would be much lower during construction.

As the LPS is installed OVER the shingles, why would installation cost be much lower during construction?

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

But where would you move to?
- Coastal hurricanes
- midwest tornadoes
- West coast earthquakes
- northern blizzards
- southwest heat

It's just dangerous to be alive these days

Nah, just dangerous to be ignorant. Lightning is an issue and it can be hellacious in this area. Why not put up extra protection, particularly if you have a very expensive home or items in your home you'd like to keep and not have them replaced by insurance. Most of us have insurance on our homes but very few will ever need it, should we cancel the policy?

[CFrance]

After we stayed in Florida and experienced the horrendous storms last summer, coupled with two street lights close to us being hit and felled by lightning, we had a LPS installed. I love the storms; I didn't love the worry.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Every Villages home that I have parked my car in front of has not been hit by lightning. Every Villages home that has burnt from lightning has never had my car parked in front of it. Coincidence??

Like I said, I'd cancel my home insurance if I subscribed to that thinking.. I most likely will never need it.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Altavia

I have a similar background.

Key factors influencing my decision to install lightning mitigation as a preventative likelihood/risk reduction include:

* Seven homes struck within a 3 mi radius of our home in the 4 years here.

* Fires tend to start in the attic with the homeowner unaware until a neighbor notified them.

* CSST Gas lines in attic acting as lightning rods:

- the CSST manufacturer recommends LPS in lightening prone areas if installed.

- Several strikes appear to have been at the garage corner where the iron gas line enters the attic.

- Nearby lighting strikes can punch pinholes in the CSST tubing resulting in delayed/undetected gas leaks, until something ignites them.

* The Villages installs LPS on critical buildings and infrastructure.

* LPS is required by code for schools, retirement homes and hospitals.

* There is discussion to add LPS to the building code -installation cost would be much lower during construction.

* It takes 2-3 years to rebuild a home here destroyed by lightening.

* For us, the cost was less than our $2K deductable.

Well said.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Nah, just dangerous to be ignorant. Lightning is an issue and it can be hellacious in this area. Why not put up extra protection, particularly if you have a very expensive home or items in your home you'd like to keep and not have them replaced by insurance. Most of us have insurance on our homes but very few will ever need it, should we cancel the policy?

Not quite the same. But going along for the moment, I don't have flood insurance or earthquake insurance on my home. Both could happen, am I ignorant to not have those?

A LPS system is not insurance, it is a mitigation strategy. When will you be installing an automatic sprinkler system to quickly extinguish a fire in your home? They can't be that expensive, they are required in schools, hotels, and I believe most public buildings. They certainly are less costly than replacing a home. And I believe more homes are lost to kitchen fires than to lightning strikes.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Altavia

I have a similar background.

Key factors influencing my decision to install lightning mitigation as a preventative likelihood/risk reduction include:

* Seven homes struck within a 3 mi radius of our home in the 4 years here.

* Fires tend to start in the attic with the homeowner unaware until a neighbor notified them.

* CSST Gas lines in attic acting as lightning rods:

- the CSST manufacturer recommends LPS in lightening prone areas if installed.

- Several strikes appear to have been at the garage corner where the iron gas line enters the attic.

- Nearby lighting strikes can punch pinholes in the CSST tubing resulting in delayed/undetected gas leaks, until something ignites them.

* The Villages installs LPS on critical buildings and infrastructure.

* LPS is required by code for schools, retirement homes and hospitals.

* There is discussion to add LPS to the building code -installation cost would be much lower during construction.

* It takes 2-3 years to rebuild a home here destroyed by lightening.

* For us, the cost was less than our $2K deductable.

So if you don't have gas OR a garage, your risk is significantly lower than a house that has both.

Good to know. Glad I live in a double-wide.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Not quite the same. But going along for the moment, I don't have flood insurance or earthquake insurance on my home. Both could happen, am I ignorant to not have those?

A LPS system is not insurance, it is a mitigation strategy. When will you be installing an automatic sprinkler system to quickly extinguish a fire in your home? They can't be that expensive, they are required in schools, hotels, and I believe most public buildings. They certainly are less costly than replacing a home. And I believe more homes are lost to kitchen fires than to lightning strikes.

Logic escapes some people. One may skip all the precautions they want, I suppose that leaves more beer money. A conversation with anyone who has lost their home to fire will suffice for the rest of us. Enjoy your game of lightening roulette, to each their own.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Logic escapes some people. One may skip all the precautions they want, I suppose that leaves more beer money. A conversation with anyone who has lost their home to fire will suffice for the rest of us. Enjoy your game of lightening roulette, to each their own.

There are risks with everything in life. You might never get hit with lightning with your fancy new LPS. And then a hurricane shows up and rips your entire roof off the house.

You might never see a hurricane in your neighborhood. And then a tornado whips through and blows your labradoodle a half mile down the street and into the neighbor's BMW windshield.

Maybe you won't see a hurricane, lightning, or tornado. But the next door neighbor flicks his cigarette out his lanai door and a stiff breeze sets your living room on fire.

And maybe none of these things happen, and the limestone gives out under your house and sinks your bedroom into a ground collapse.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

There are risks with everything in life. You might never get hit with lightning with your fancy new LPS. And then a hurricane shows up and rips your entire roof off the house.

You might never see a hurricane in your neighborhood. And then a tornado whips through and blows your labradoodle a half mile down the street and into the neighbor's BMW windshield.

Maybe you won't see a hurricane, lightning, or tornado. But the next door neighbor flicks his cigarette out his lanai door and a stiff breeze sets your living room on fire.

And maybe none of these things happen, and the limestone gives out under your house and sinks your bedroom into a ground collapse.

What this has to do with anything is amusing.. nada. Yes, there are risks to living but that doesn't mean you shouldn't leave your living room. Take precautions that would ameliorate the risks and enjoy your life. Would I put LPS on a manufactured home or seasonal home, no. Would I put LPS on a $300,000. plus home? Yep, but you do you.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Logic escapes some people. One may skip all the precautions they want, I suppose that leaves more beer money. A conversation with anyone who has lost their home to fire will suffice for the rest of us. Enjoy your game of lightening roulette, to each their own.

Did you mistype or were you trying to make my point?

A conversation with anyone who has lost their home to fire will likely make you think about that automatic sprinkler system. If four deaths and 4,500 homeowner's claims from lightning is significant to you then 77 deaths from 14,000 home fires should really get your attention.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Did you mistype or were you trying to make my point?

A conversation with anyone who has lost their home to fire will likely make you think about that automatic sprinkler system. If four deaths and 4,500 homeowner's claims from lightning is significant to you then 77 deaths from 14,000 home fires should really get your attention.

I don't see your point at all. I'd rather have a LPS on my home for lightning than sprinklers in every room like an office/hospital or police department. But then we don't smoke and are careful cooking and neither are pyromaniacs. You do you.

[Topspinmo]

OK, we know risk of lightning. Now how about companies that are certified and ballpark prices for different style houses that had lightning protection installed. So we can have recommendations and make decisions? Not bickering about what if?

[asianthree]

Our last home the previous owner proposal was $5,000. 2 years later lightning struck 4 houses down, traveling to 6 different houses, killed our irrigation box and a water bill of $800 for non stop 48 hour running.

Rods would not have helped since it wasn’t a direct strike.

[HappyTraveler]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

So if you don't have gas OR a garage, your risk is significantly lower than a house that has both.

Good to know. Glad I live in a double-wide.

YES, my deduction as well. What seems to be the key (and if anyone has an accurate answer, it would be appreciated) is how many of Villages homes that suffered significant damage from a lightning strike was a because the strike hit a gas line or hit near it and then the gas line ignited shortly after causing most of the damage?

Very important detail. ^^^

Utilizing insurance is all about assessing probabilities. Many people are over-insured for all sorts of things and it costs them big over a lifetime.