What To Do If Your House Was Hit by Lightning
Lightning hits one in every 200 houses every year. The odds of someone being killed are roughly 2,000,000-1. Still, to be safe, there are a few things that you can do to handle the situation if your house were to be struck by lightning. Learn what happens during a lightning strike.
Are You in Danger?
Do you smell smoke? Is there detectable fire? Has your home’s structural integrity been compromised in any way? If you experience any of these things, then leave your home immediately, and meet all occupants at a predetermined gathering spot. If there’s a fire, then call the fire department right away.
Check for Visible Damage
Lightning strikes are destructive, so it’s possible that there are holes in your roof, walls, or both. If there is no fire or other immediate danger, then walk around the outside of your home once the storm stops. Remember, it’s not safe to be outside anywhere during a thunderstorm with lightning. While the storm is still going, check the inside of your home for any obvious signs of damage.
Unplug Electrical Appliances
While you’re examining the inside of your home after a lightning strike, be sure to unplug everything. Lightning can damage appliances and computers, and if you leave things plugged in, then they could be dangerous from a residual electric charge. Also, if your appliances haven’t been fried immediately, then unplugging them will protect them from damage.
Have Your Wiring Checked
When the storm stops, it’s crucial to have an electrician check your home’s wiring. Even if there is no appliance damage or visible physical damage to your home, there could be problems with your junction box, wiring, or both. Do not try to inspect your wiring yourself. You could injure yourself. You also could cause more damage and/or void any warranties, insurance policies, or both.
Protecting Yourself Afterwards
Having a lightning rod is an easy and effective way to mitigate damage from lightning strikes. If your home has been hit by lightning, then you can prevent further lightning damage with such a rod. In a case where your home hasn’t yet been hit, you can prevent damage from lightning strikes altogether.
Lightning rods are made from highly conductive materials and are designed to be placed higher than the top of a roof. That’s because lightning strikes that which is highest up, especially when the rod is conductive. The standard procedure is to have the lightning rod connected to what’s known as an earthing clamp or grounding clamp. When these two items are connected, the current from a lightning strike will flow harmlessly into the ground.
Inside your home, you can also install surge protectors for your valuable appliances. In many cases, these protectors will safeguard your things, but they’re not foolproof. When you speak with us about protecting your home from beeing hit by lightning, we’ll go over the best kind of surge protectors to buy. Remember, though, that without a lightning rod and earthing clamp, a surge protector would be of limited use in safeguarding your computer and other electrical items.
The “Florida Effect”
Florida is sometimes known as the “Lightning Capital of the U.S.” because of the frequent lightning strikes in the state. So, protecting your home before being hit by lightning just plain makes good sense. If your home has already been hit by lightning, then it’s doubly important to speak with someone who can advise you on the best ways to proceed.
Why Us?
We have nearly two decades’ experience in the electrical industry, so you can trust us both to advise you and to perform any necessary work regarding your home and lightning. We’re proud to serve both Melbourne and its surrounding areas. So, whenever you need us for electrical repairs, replacements, or installations, remember, Don’t put up with malarky. Call Mr. Sparky. You’ll be glad you did.
