[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Switter

This is exactly what I do. Since all of my electronics tend to be clustered together in an area, everything gets plugged into a power strip so all I have to do is unplug the power strip.I might even rig up a power strip behind my fridge that both the stove and fridge can plug into and that I can reach easily enough to unplug it.

Hard wired major appliances such as your, HVAC, garage door openers, ceiling fans, microwave, dish washer, tankless water, SPA/Pool, etc. remain unprotected.

[SaucyJim]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Post #9 hit (no pun intended) on it, I believe. The reason that there are so many lightning strikes reported here is that there are just so many more things for it to strike. A severe thunderstorm in, say, rural Kansas or the Minnesota prairie can produce a spectacular light show (I've seen many), but when houses are spaced a mile or more apart as compared to maybe 10 yards here in TV--well, TV is a target-rich environment compared to those examples.

Lightning strikes and lightning hits are two different stats. I agree that if there are more man-made features in the same area, the percentage of strikes that are hits will be higher.

In summary, there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch and no one here gets out alive.

[Notsocrates]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

We moved to The Villages on June 11th. Since moving here there have been many direct lightning strikes to homes, several with severe damage. Never in my life have I lived in a place with so many strikes. Is there a way to prevent or reduce our home's chance of being struck?

We moved here from Southern Florida, where the storms are extremely intense and still this is very different.

there is a weather club here in tv lead by john shewchuk, retired meteorologist who also gives presentations about lightening, et al at other clubs between 466 an 466a

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Robojo

This SHOULD be part if the regular build and Not need to be added later.

I blame the developers for being cheap.

I ask to add having a LPS installed during my custom build 5yrs ago so the wires would be under the roof as they do for the critical infrastructure buildings. But they refused.

The CSST gas line manufacturers now recommend adding a LPS in lightening prone areas.

So maybe the local counties should add requiring a LPS for new construction of homes using CSST to their building codes.

[DonnaNi4os]

As I’m sure you know, FL is the lightning capital of the world. I have never been afraid of lightning but Saturday’s storm was the most intense and longest thunderstorms I’ve ever seen. I must admit that at times it was a little scary. It’s still the rainy season so I suspect there will be more.

[GATORBILL66]

I have been in Florida for over 50 years, Come on dude this Florida, the lightning capital of the world!

[Gettingoutofdodge]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

Thank you! I finally found the thread but I don't see much in the way of mitigating risk.

We have three companies coming out to give an estimate on a lightning rod system but does this safeguard your home completely?

I've never in my life been afraid of storms but I do find my anxiety level increasing with every storm.

I bought a house in TV two years ago. Last year a home totally was destroyed in the Village of Linden. I went to a POA meeting on educational lightening safety and protection. (Meeting was on their website) Make sure you go with a lightening rod company that is fully qualified. I called A1 Lightening and had rods installed. Cost goes by how many peaks you have on your roof, bird cage, gas pipe etc. I have an Arlington CYV and the cost was $1650. I also had Seco put a whole house surge protector on my electric meter. I then put individual surge protector strips on my computer/printer and TVs and garage door opener.
Now when it thunders and lightening I feel safe.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by rsmurano

Why would anybody run around the house to unplug things during an electrical storm? How are you going to unplug the refrigerator, stove, furnace, freezer, all the most expensive items in your house? Get a whole house surge suppressor and no need to do this. I get the surge suppressor from my local utility for $6 a month. I think this is superior to the electrician installed unit in the electrical panel for a number of reasons:
1) you don’t pay for an electrician to install it
2) you don’t pay the large sum of $500-$1000 for the unit itself
3) since it’s installed behind the panel, how are you able to look at the lights to see if it’s working or not?
The suppressor installed at the outside meter is maintained by the utility, catches the surge before it enters the house, and you can check the lights very easy.
For computers, have a UPS device that gracefully shuts down the computer based on battery life.

In response to your point number 3, it is not installed behind the panel. You can look at the lights anytime you are in the garage.

[Lightning]

Originally Posted by Altavia

We've averaged 6-8 that I'm aware of a year the past 5 yrs.

I have a suspicion (and some evidence) metallic gas lines in the attic increase the risk of fire.

We have had 5 homes destroyed this year by lightning, two last year, and one in 2022. The previous record was four in 2015. However, we had none in 2010, 2011, 2012 for over 1,100 days. For more information on lightning consider attending The Villages Philosophy Club's meeting on Friday, August 23 at 4 PM at the Lake Miona Regional Recreation Center where Lightning Tips for Villagers will be presented. This covers personal lightning safety, indirect strikes to appliances and electronics, direct strikes to the home, and debunks 10 myths about lightning. You only need a Villages ID to attend.

[MrFlorida]

It's all part of Florida living....

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

We moved to The Villages on June 11th. Since moving here there have been many direct lightning strikes to homes, several with severe damage. Never in my life have I lived in a place with so many strikes. Is there a way to prevent or reduce our home's chance of being struck?

We moved here from Southern Florida, where the storms are extremely intense and still this is very different.

About 80 feet higher altitude here?

[bark4me]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

We moved to The Villages on June 11th. Since moving here there have been many direct lightning strikes to homes, several with severe damage. Never in my life have I lived in a place with so many strikes. Is there a way to prevent or reduce our home's chance of being struck?

We moved here from Southern Florida, where the storms are extremely intense and still this is very different.

We lived in S Florida before too and probably had just as many lightning strikes. Welcome to Fla

[Switter]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Hard wired major appliances such as your, HVAC, garage door openers, ceiling fans, microwave, dish washer, tankless water, SPA/Pool, etc. remain unprotected.

Yeah. I also have a whole house surge protector. I am going to look into LPS after watching the video in post 24. I called my insurance and they say they give no discount for putting in the system unfortunately, but if the cost is reasonable I'll probably just pull the plug.

[Karmanng]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

We moved to The Villages on June 11th. Since moving here there have been many direct lightning strikes to homes, several with severe damage. Never in my life have I lived in a place with so many strikes. Is there a way to prevent or reduce our home's chance of being struck?

We moved here from Southern Florida, where the storms are extremely intense and still this is very different.

BE AWARE there are alot of homes here that have GAS and it is in the ATTIC !!!! very very stupid place for this builder to put in there ! SOOOO when you get a strike it is possible that the house will EXPLODE not just get a small fire.............so for those that have GAS IN THE ATTIC its your choice..............to do it or not to do it

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Karmanng

BE AWARE there are alot of homes here that have GAS and it is in the ATTIC !!!! very very stupid place for this builder to put in there ! SOOOO when you get a strike it is possible that the house will EXPLODE not just get a small fire.............so for those that have GAS IN THE ATTIC its your choice..............to do it or not to do it

The risk is even an indirect/nearby strike can punch pinholes in the CSST tubing undetected - and feed a fire in the attic if ignited.

The newer CSST tubing is covered with a black plastic coating designed to self seal those pinhole leaks.