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Facts and Myths about lightning strikes
and your home's electrical system
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Lightning is a result of static
electricity buildup between clouds. When the static buildup gets large enough, the electricity is dissipated to the ground
via a lightning bolt (technically called a lightning stroke). Think of it as Mother Nature’s version of walking across
a carpet and touching a doorknob! A typical lightning stroke can contain anywhere from 100 million to 1 billion volts of electricity
and can be as hot as 50,000ºF. There are approximately 20 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in the USA annually. New York, New Jersey, and eight
other states report more deaths and injuries from lightning strikes than the rest of the country. Despite any myths you may have heard, any object can be the
target of a lightning strike. Lightning does not always strike the tallest object in an area, or a metal surface instead of
a non-conductive one. Lightning also strikes the surface of water such as oceans and inland lakes. Nothing is immune to a
lightning strike.
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Many times we are asked if a surge suppressor installed in the home
would protect electronic equipment used there (such as TV’s, microwaves, and computers) in the event of a lightning
strike. The answer to this question depends on where the strike hits. If there is a lightning strike in the area, and it causes
a surge on the power lines entering the home, then a surge suppressor would probably protect any electrical equipment attached
to it. However, if the house experiences a direct lightning strike (or even one that might land in the yard and not hit the
house directly) then chances are that there will be significant electrical damage in the home – perhaps even a fire
– and a surge suppressor will not help in that instance.
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Odds are that you would benefit from the installation of a whole-house
surge suppressor. This device is installed in the main circuit breaker panel by a licensed electrician and can protect every
piece of electronic equipment in the house – you’re not limited to the small amount of protection provided by
a plug-in power strip type of surge suppressor. A whole-house surge suppressor is usually a better device than the plug-in
ones that you can buy at your local hardware store. Also, many of them come with a connected equipment warranty which would
pay for the replacement of any products damaged while the suppressor is in use (except of course for a direct lightning strike).
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The best protection for your home in the event of a direct hit is a
lightning rod system. Despite myths you may have heard, lightning rods do NOT attract lightning to your house. They simply
provide a safe conductive path to ground for any lightning that may be in the immediate area. That way, if a lightning strike
does occur, the energy from the strike is harmlessly diverted to the ground, instead of causing damage to your house.
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Licensed electricians serving Orange
county, Sullivan county, and Ulster county in New York
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ All information contained within this site ©2004-2012, Wurtsboro Electric Service, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Reproducing or duplicating any information contained herein is prohibited by law.
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