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The Effects of Lightning on Your Home

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Aishakhan89

 

 

Thunderstorms are widespread during late spring and summer. However, they can occur at any time of year. Rain, thunder, and many lightning strikes characterize thunderstorms, becoming more violent and producing hail and tornadoes. Let's take a look at how lighting affects your home, specifically your electrical system.

Rods of Lightning

While we do not do lightning rod installation, some companies do. I'll leave the details to a lightning rod installation firm because most people are familiar with the overall concept of a lightning rod, a giant metal post affixed to the roof. The rods should be linked to a ground wire that runs directly to a ground rod (or two) to offer the power a path of least resistance away from your home. Power disappears once it reaches the coil or slab.

Protection Against Power Outages

Surge protectors are an excellent product to install and it is done by residential electricians Brisbane. Whether the surges are caused by lightning, the power company accidentally sends a rise across the line or a surge within the residence. Surges are most common in the home; have you ever noticed how the lights dim for a second when the air conditioner kicks on? This is a surge that runs through your home, affecting your outlets and appliances as well, but the light fixtures provide the most incredible visual sensation. Small surges can impair the longevity of your appliances and devices over time. Of fact, we may not notice if an item survived 10 years when it should have lasted 12 or 15 over a long period.

Surge protectors come in two varieties, the most popular of which is used to plug in computers, printers, and other office equipment. Surge protectors like this one are great at preventing surges from affecting the things plugged into the strip. Surge protection does not safeguard appliances like the washer and dryer, which surges can damage.

When Lightning Strikes Nearby, What Happens?

A nearby strike on your property or neighborhood could cause surge troubles in your home since lightning chooses the path of least resistance. Surge problems are usually the same whether your property was directly struck by lightning or was hit by a nearby lightning strike.

When a strong surge hits, you'll usually notice that specific appliances or gadgets plugged in at the time of the wave no longer switch on or function properly. Surges often damage appliances, outlets, and light fixtures, but no wiring. The electrical wiring in your home is merely a conduit for the power to travel.

The Gas Line Is Protected from Lightning

The ground terminals of the lightning protection system must be linked to the grounding electrode system of the building or structure. Alternatively, the system that requires lightning protection, such as the gas line, should be connected to the home's central ground system, often located at the main breaker panel. Lightning protection is essential when corrugated stainless steel tubing, or CSST, is present in the piping system. Lightning protection on your gas system is not required if you only have a black pipe with threaded fittings. Gas pipe systems must be bonded to the electrical service grounding electrode system at the point where the gas service enters the building.

The bonding jumper must be made of copper wire with a minimum diameter of 6 AWG or equivalent. This is only necessary if CSST is installed. It can be a pain to get from the ground at the main panel to the gas line at times, and it can also be a pain to get from the floor at the mainboard to the gas line at other times. Every circumstance is unique, and we should discuss it individually.

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