(860) 243-0010

Lightning Protection

What Type Of Damage Can Lightning Cause To a Home or Building?

According to the NFPA, lightning strikes cause $451 million dollars in property damage each year.

Without a designated path to reach the ground, a lightning strike may choose to utilize any conductor available inside a home or building. This could include cable lines, phone lines, electrical lines, gas pipes, water pipes, etc.

Lightning can cause the following damage to a home or building:

Fire: A fire can start anywhere the lightning channel contacts flammable material. These can include gas pipes, wood, paper, etc. If lightning follows electrical wiring, it often times overheats, causing a fire hazard.
Side Flashes: Side flashes can injure anyone in a room that happens to be in the way.
Building Damage: Lightning can cause damage to walls, concrete, plaster, and glass.
Appliance Damage: Any appliance plugged into an affected circuit can be damaged, including TVs, computers, video game systems, microwaves, lamps, phones, washers, etc.

Commercial and home lightning protection systems are designed to ensure the building and occupants are safe if hit directly or indirectly by lightning. By providing a safe path to the ground, lightning protection equipment can provide fire protection, structural damage protection, and appliance damage protection.

Lightning Protection System

A complete lightning protection system includes

lightning rods
conductor cables
ground electrodes
utility bonding clamps (for water pipes, sprinkler, & gas and/or oil pipes)
surge protection

Northeast Lightning Protection has been installing lightning protection equipment, including lightning rods in Connecticut (CT), Massachusetts (MA), New York (NY), Rhode Island (RI), New Hampshire (NH) and Vermont (VT), since 1976.

Northeast Lightning Protection, a Connecticut (CT) based company, provides the most advanced commercial and home lightning protection systems according to the codes of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. 96A, Lightning Protection Institute 175, and National Fire Protection Association 780.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

How Does a Lightning Protection System Work?

According to the NFPA, lightning strikes cause $451 million dollars in property damage each year.

A commercial and home lightning protection system is composed of 4 main components:

1. Lightning Rods or Air Terminals

A lightning rod is a metal rod or metallic object mounted on top of a structure, engineered to protect the structure in the event of a lightning strike. If lightning hits a structure, it will strike the rod and be conducted to ground through the wire, instead of passing through the structure.

2. Conductor Cables

Conductor cables are cables that carry lightning current from the lightning rods to the ground. These cables are installed along the roof and edges of the roof, then down one or more corners of a building to the ground rod.

3. Ground Rods

Ground rods are heavy, long and thick rods buried into the ground to provide a safe path for a lightning discharge.

4. Surge Protection Devices

Surge protection devices or SPD’s are installed on all incoming wires (i.e., data/telecom, electrical). This protects a building and all the expensive computers, TV’s, etc. from an indirect strike. An indirect strike is when the lightning strikes one of the above-mentioned wires and the lightning surge enters the structure through one of those wires.

The above components, when installed correctly, will provide the lightning surge a path to ground, avoiding damage to the home or commercial building.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

What Are The Components Of a Lightning Protection System?

According to the NFPA, lightning strikes cause $451 million dollars in property damage each year.

Lightning Protection System Components:

1. Lightning Rods or Air Terminals
2. Conductor Cables
3. Ground Rods
4. Surge Protection Devices

The above components of commercial and home lightning protection systems, when installed correctly will provide the lightning surge a path to ground, avoiding damage to the structure.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

Staying Safe At The Beach During a Lightning Storm: Waterford Beach, CT

Staying Safe At The Beach During a Lightning Storm – Waterford Beach, CT:

Jim from Northeast Lightning Protection LLC located in Bloomfield, Connecticut (CT) shows viewers how to be safe during a lightning storm at Waterford Beach in Waterford, Connecticut (CT).

To learn more, contact us today!

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC is a family business that has been installing commercial lightning protection systems and home lightning protection systems to structures in Connecticut (CT), Massachusetts (MA), New York (NY), Rhode Island (RI), New Hampshire (NH) and Vermont (VT), since 1976.

Northeast Lightning Protection, a Connecticut (CT) based lightning protection company, provides the most advanced commercial lightning protection systems and home lightning protection systems according to the codes of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. 96A, Lightning Protection Institute 175, and National Fire Protection Association 780.

For a free estimate on commercial lightning protection systems and home lightning protection systems, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

http://www.NortheastLightning.com

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

Fire Station Lightning Protection System

Jim Barnard, President of Northeast Lightning Protection, LLC located in Bloomfield, Connecticut (CT) explains how a local fire station is protected with a lightning protection system. One of many commercial applications of our lightning protection systems.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

Lightning Protection: Resistance to Ground Testing Procedure

Jim from Northeast Lightning Protection LLC located in Bloomfield, Connecticut (CT) shows viewers the resistance to ground testing procedure for a lightning protection system.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

Identify Existing Lightning and Power Surge Hazards & Methods To Protect Property

A lack of quality lightning protection systems has costs companies billions of dollars when failures and outages occur. Proper planning for potential failures ahead of time and the implementation of a lightning protection plan and compliance with recommended electrical industry best practices could significantly reduce risks of failure, potentially saving lives and preventing costly interruptions and property damage.

Power Surges

Faulty wiring, malfunctioning equipment, damaged equipment, compromised power lines, capacitor switching, and grid shifting can all lead to surges. When there is too much demand on a single power line to produce power, a surge can happen. This is common in areas with a high concentration of businesses that use heavy, high-powered machinery to operate their businesses.

Lightning Surges

One of the most common causes for power surges is lightning. It is important to note that lightning does not have to strike an object to cause a surge. In the absence of a strong lightning protection system, the structure is vulnerable to surge activity. The most powerful surges that properties experience can be tied to lightning. When lightning strikes an exposed cable connected to electrical equipment a surge can result. When lightning produces and electromagnetic field, it can affect the power supply.

Protecting a Property

Working with an expert, like Northeast Lightning Protection LLC, to assess the risks is important in protecting against surge activities caused by lightning. Commercial and home lightning protection systems may be recommended after the soil composition, local weather patterns and the building occupancy levels are evaluated. A combination of surge protection devices and improved grounding systems may be recommended. Existing electrical outlets may be replaced with higher quality outlets to minimize surge risks.

Surge protection systems are designed to meet the specific property’s needs. Energy usage patterns and the volume of industrial activity are also taken into account. In addition to preventing surges, they protect the building, equipment, occupants and appliances within a structure.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

The Importance of Lightning Protection

According to the NFPA, lightning strikes cause $451 million dollars in property damage each year.

Why Do I Need a Lightning Protection System?

Thunderstorms make some people uncomfortable. Jagged lightning strikes that carry across the sky are dangerous, especially when they strike homes and businesses. Lightning strikes can cause fires, injuries, and even deaths. Without proper commercial lightning protection, people could face liabilities in the event of a terrible accident. Because the lives of everyone depend on it, one shouldn’t hesitate to get the proper lightning protection.

The Importance of Lightning Proection

Before people can even blink their eyes, a towering mass of heated air can end their lives. The chances of being struck by lightning are very small, but they have increased slightly in recent years. The warmer climates all over the world are fueling more and more storms. While lightning strikes are dazzling displays of nature’s awesome power, they are also a reminder that bad things happen to people who aren’t prepared. Home lightning protection will ensure one’s safety and their insurance company will appreciate the steps they take to secure their house from lightning.

Pretend that a business owner has a building and a raging storm develops outside. Lightning dances across the sky until one bolt strikes the top of the building. An inferno ensues and engulfs the beloved business. People could prevent this unfortunate scenario with commercial lightning protection. They can’t let a storm ruin the lives of their business. Their customers will also appreciate the time and effort they put in to ensure their safety. Lightning won’t spare anyone within a certain radius of the strike.

While lightning rods help protect a structure and all occupants from a direct strike, a complete lightning protection system, including utility bonding, proper grounding, and surge protection help prevent harmful electrical surges and possible fires caused by lightning entering a structure via wire and pipes. A complete lightning protection system includes; lightning rods, conductor cables, ground electrodes, utility bonding clamps (for water pipes, sprinkler, & gas and/or oil pipes) and surges protection.

Trusting a Lightning Proection Professional

Trusting the professionals for lightning protection is a great idea for homeowners as well. Instead of losing everything to a disaster, home insurance companies will be more forgiving if the owner demonstrates secure lightning protection. An insurance company is more likely to cover the damages of a house hit by lightning if adequate steps were taken to make sure the property is safe. Lightning protection that works well will keep everyone in the home safe and sound. People can leave home in stormy areas with the peace of mind that everything will be alright. Safety is everything in a storm, and one can’t be too careful.

The next time that a household fears lightning strikes, its owner should contact the proper home lightning protection company, like Northeast Lightning Protection. No money and no time can be wasted in securing a home from natural disasters. Lightning strikes cause a variety of damage and it’s best to prevent damage before it ever happens.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

Benefits of a Commercial Lightning Protection System

Costs of lightning damage

According to the NFPA, lightning strikes cause $451 million dollars in property damage each year.

Lightning protection systems are designed to protect your business and your assets from the destruction caused by lightning strikes. Each year thousands of buildings and businesses are damaged by lightning strikes. It is estimated that lightning causes more than $5 billion in damage in the USA alone. Commercial lightning protection systems can’t necessarily prevent lightning from happening, but they can make sure that lightning is controlled and doesn’t cause damage.

Lightning strikes can cause considerable damage to commercial buildings and the equipment inside. The most common risks associated with lightning strikes are damage to electronic equipment and fire. Damage to electrical equipment can be devastating to companies that rely on electronics to operate. Not only does the equipment need to be replaced, which can be incredibly expensive, but it can also lead to long downtimes during which the business can’t operate.

Benefits of lightning protection

It’s clear that commercial lightning protection is something that any business can benefit from. In order to better understand the problem and the risks, it helps to know how lightning and lightning protection works. Lightning is simply an electrostatic discharge that can occur from cloud-to-cloud, inside clouds, and cloud to ground. The problem is when a lightning strike makes direct contact with a building. The ensuing surge of electricity from a lightning strike can spread throughout the building damaging fuses and potentially any electronic devices that were plugged in at the time.

A commercial lightning protection system is able to safely transfer the electrical energy from a lightning strike away from the building and into the ground where it is safely discharged. The purpose of a commercial lightning protection system is not to completely prevent lightning from striking, this isn’t really possible. Rather, the purpose is to provide a path of low resistance for the lightning to travel through without causing damage to the building. The major components of a commercial lightning protection system include lightning rods, conductor cables, and grounding rods.

It is important to make sure that a commercial lightning protection system complies with all codes and standards of the Lightning Protection Institute, National Fire Protection Association, and Underwriters Laboratories and that it is installed by a reputable and certified company, such as Northeast Lightning Protection.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010

Lightning Protection Systems

Lightning strikes can cause serious damage to homes and buildings, as well as cause injury or even death. Strikes can be hotter than the surface of the sun and can cause fire with heat sensitive materials such as wood. In order to protect people and property, commercial and home lightning protection systems have been developed to guide high voltage strikes away from individuals and electrically sensitive structures and materials.

Lightning Rod or Air Terminal Systems

During a strike, the high voltage always takes the path of least resistance from the air to the ground. Damage results when persons or property are part of this low resistance path. The main piece of any type of lightning protection system is the lightning rod or air terminal. The purpose of the air terminal is to intercept lightning strikes and provide a path to ground. Typically, copper or aluminum air terminals are installed on the roof of the structure and connected to ground electrodes (ground rod) buried in the Earth with conductor cable (wire). Instead of a lightning strike hitting the structure and damaging the people and items inside, the air terminals are hit, and the high voltage travels along the conductor cable and into the earth. This kind of system, known as the Franklin System, can be implemented using one air terminal or several that are connected to form a protective mesh around the structure (Faraday Cage).

Surge Protectors

Structures are also vulnerable from strikes that happen away from the structure and travel along the electrical or telephone lines into the building. A surge protector is a special device placed at electrical connections between the structure and the grid. When high voltage is detected, a switch is tripped, and the electrical equipment is bypassed. The high voltage is instead diverted to the earth via a ground wire instead of traveling into the structure.

Lightning Protection System Maintenance

Care must continue to be given to these lightning protection systems after the initial install, or their effectiveness will be drastically reduced. Air terminals and ground terminals are subject to corrosion which is electrically non-conductive. If either terminal becomes corroded and offers too much electrical resistance, strikes will take an easier path to earth potentially through building or through electrically sensitive equipment. The ground wire also must be periodically checked for breaks or obstructions. Current could arc over or around such a break and possibly find a new path to the earth that travels into the building.

For a free estimate, contact New England’s #1 lightning protection company, Northeast Lightning Protection.

Northeast Lightning Protection LLC
10 Peters Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Tel: (860) 243-0010