Lightning can be a frightening and dangerous natural phenomenon. It is the most common cause of power outages in North America and is a frequent event in Cape Coral and Lee County.
But it is important to note that even when lightning strikes your home, that does not necessarily mean that you have to suffer an electrical disaster. There are some simple things you can do to protect your family and property from the damage caused by lightning strikes.
In this article, we will share tips on what to do to prevent a lightning strike from damaging your home's electrical system and what safety precautions you should take if there's a storm coming.
A lightning strike can be devastating. It can cause property damage and, in some cases, personal injury or death. Not only that, but research shows that 1/3 of all lighting injuries occur indoors.
Lighting can reach you through your home's plumbing, light switches, or your plugged-in appliances. Even walls and floors can be electrically dangerous if they are reinforced with metal. Furthermore, lightning strikes can cause home fires, leading to catastrophic damage.
There are, however, ways to prevent your home from being damaged or your family being injured by a lightning strike.
First, for personal safety, your family should stay away from any location in the house that has plumbing, wiring, or electronics. Anything conductive can transmit an electric current - even a metal door. On top of that, 5% of all lighting injuries actually happen to people speaking on a land-line phone during a storm.
Second, in order to preserve your expensive electronics, you should unplug your appliances, computers, etc. before a storm comes. Certainly, when you first hear thunder, it is time to disconnect your electronics from their power supply.
Additionally, you should install surge protectors on your appliances. This will protect any device that you plug into it - computers, televisions, and other electronic items. They will safeguard your items even if you are not at home when the lightning strikes.
Along with surge protection for electronics you should ensure you have ground fault circuit interrupters to prevent shocks in bathrooms, kitchens, or any room where water may be present.
By taking these steps, you greatly reduce the risk of damage to your equipment and injury to your family.
External to the home, there are also various protective items designed to protect against lightning strikes. These items are built to ensure electricity doesn't flow into parts of the house where it can cause extensive damage.
A grounding device prevents harm from lightning strikes by creating a path for the current to bypass your home and travel directly to the ground. It is typically installed on your roof and connected with a wire to a rod that goes about six feet into the ground.
When lightning strikes your home, whole house surge suppressors absorb the surges in power, preventing severe damage to your equipment. The electrical surge is stopped at the electrical panel, preventing transmission to the home and its more sensitive electronics.
Both these devices are highly effective in preventing injury and damage from lightning strikes when installed and maintained by a professional.
Lightning strikes are a serious problem for homeowners, businesses, and commercial properties in Lee County. A single lightning strike can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your property. That is why it's important that you take precautions.
With our lightning strike prevention services, we can help you protect your home or business from this risk.
Our company has been in Cape Coral for many years, so we know what it takes to safeguard your property. We have extensive experience in this field, so you're sure to have peace of mind knowing that you've taken all the necessary precautions to prevent a dangerous situation from occurring in your home.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation about how we can help protect your property from lightning strikes. - (555) 555-5555.