KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There are several preventative measures you can take to protect your home against lightning.
Insured losses from lightning strikes are at an all time high according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
According to the Lightning Protection Institute, lightning can enter a home in numerous ways including:
- Through a direct strike.
- Through roof projections like weather vanes, antennas and satellite dishes.
- Through a chimney or roof dormer.
- Via irrigation systems or invisible fences.
- Through metallic lines, piping or CSST gas piping.
Power surges caused by lightning can have extensive damage to electronics inside your house.
The first line of defense against home electrical surges are panel box surge protective devices. These attach to the box and help prevent damage to major appliances by diverting currents at the electrical service entrance if a surge does make it onto the system.
“This is the easiest quick fix. Obviously, you want to make sure that your system is safe to begin with, but if you’re not able to tackle that right now, at the very least that device is something you can add to be proactive in prevention,” said Jacob McClure, an electrician with JMC Electric.
A ground path is key for a surge protection device to operate successfully. McClure recommended having your ground system inspected to see that it meets the National Electric Code Requirements.
There are also point of use surge protectors. These help protect other electronics plugged into the device from surges.
Surge devices are not able to handle a direct lightning strike which is why it’s recommended to unplug appliances and electronics before a storm hits to prevent damage.
While these measures will help in the event of a power surge, the proven method of keeping your home safe from lightning is by installing a lightning protection system. Kimberly Loehr with the Lightning Protection Institute said a lightning protection system is the best and most effective way to protect your home.
The system is designed to intercept lightning strikes and create a path for the electricity to discharge away from the home and those inside.
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