An Approach to Lightning Protection

How will you approach lightning protection for your home or business? 

The Do-it-yourselfer.

Many will order the base components from an internet supplier and attempt the installation themselves.  It could be argued that this is better than nothing.  Perhaps.  But if the system is inadequately designed or installed, the installation can provide a false sense of safety that might prove disastrous.

Others will shop their safety and peace of mind based upon finding the absolute lowest price.  While economy does necessarily imply poor quality, a good price without quality craftsmanship could result in poor results.

 

Finding a Reputable Contractor & Installer

Step #1
Confirm that your provider is UL listed. Visit www.ul.com/lightning and search for their listing.

Step #2
Request a copy of their L.P.I Certification.  Verify that they have at least 5 years of experience.

Step #3
Ask for references including Electrical Contractors that have used their services.  Check the references!

 
 

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The basic lightning protection system has four primary components.  On the surface this would seem to imply that lightning protection must be inherently simple.  In reality, the selection of the proper components, the method and location of installation, and the overall design of the system is quite complex.  When executed well your facility and its equipment are protected.

Lightning occurs when the negatively charged energy in a cloud reaches down to make connection with the positively charged ground. Your house or building is standing between these two charges and when the connection happens up to 20,000 amps of current at 1,000,000+ volts explodes in 1/4 second!  The only way to protect your structure is to take the ground from beneath and place it on the roof. The first step in this process is to create a new electrical ground.  Central Lightning Protection does this with a dissipating ground field.
 
The Dissipating Ground Field is created by driving 30' grounding rods into the ground along the perimeter of your structure.  There is typically one grounding rod for every 100' of building perimeter.

Heavy cables are attached to these rods and run to the roof of your structure. Many subcontractors use a simple mechanical connection between the ground rods and the cable.  While this will work in the short term, time has a way of deteriorating the connection.  Central Lightning Protection uses a Cadweld connection that assures you of years of maintenance free service.

Bases are distributed across the peak of your roof.  These are the mounting points between the grounding cable and the Air Terminal.

The Air Terminal is the point of contact between the negatively charged clouds and the new ground created by the lightning protection system.

 
 

This very basic system described above will protect your home from lightning strikes which occur from the cloud to your structure.  But lightning has a back door by which it can destroy valuable electronic equipment.  The power lines entering your home can provide a path for lightning. 

Surge Suppressors are used to shunt these transient voltage spikes to ground. Typically these induced power surges can destroy delicate electronic equipment as well as potentially harming appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioning units. While many consumers purchase small surge protectors for their computers, there is a betters way.  Central Lightning Protection can install surge suppressors that can protect your home or businesses entire electric service.

 
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