Lightning Protecting Lightning Storms – Can You Be Protected?
With the coming of spring, the weather has turned very unpredictable. Some areas of the country are experiencing their first snowfall, while here in Myrtle Beach we are having thunder storms with thunderbolts. Last fall a neighbor’s house was struck by lightning and they suffered damage to several appliances including a TV and their computer. That’s why you need surge protection.
If you are not protected, when thunderbolts hit your home, it actually travels through your home’s electrical system. What is happening is that the lighting is looking for the shortest route to the ground. Not only can it travel through appliances, it can also travel through your plumbing and even through your land line phone.
Because a thunderbolt can travel through these devices, you are often advised to avoid using your computer or phone during a storm. The thunderbolt can travel through the phone into your body and can do your bodily harm in seconds, even death. Yes, people have survived such horror stories, but do you feel that lucky?
Although lightning can damage simple appliances like electric fans or light bulbs, it can do even great damage to appliances containing microchips such as televisions and computers. This also includes those expensive game boxes you purchased over the holidays.
Preparing For A Storm That May Have Lightning
To prevent damage to appliances, game consoles and computers, you will want to unplug them from your homes electrical system. This will prevent them from being fried in the event of a thunderbolt striking your home. Of course, this does not protect them from damage if the bolt strikes causing a fire.
Install a lightning rod. This is a very simple device that in theory will attract thunderbolts and divert it from the house. The rod is grounded which makes a pathway for the bolts to reach the ground without damaging your home.
Install whole house surge protection Myrtle Beach. This is the most reliable and best alternative for your home. You may not be home to unplug all of your devices when a storm strikes. A Whole House surge protector is designed to protect homes again transient surges that enter through the home’s electric supply. Whole House protectors are devices that are installed at the meter or electrical panel. These devices require the installation by a licensed electrical contractor.
Whole house surge protection is also referred to as a house energy shield. This device will protect your appliances by preventing lightning from doing any real damage.
You will also want to consider installing point-of-contact surge protection also. These devices are used to protect specific electronic equipment in the event of a surge in power. This can happen when several electronic devices are plugged into one electrical source or when the power company is rotating points of service.
These devices usually come with an uninterruptible power supply that can be used to keep the power flowing to your equipment for a short period of time. This will give you time to properly power down your computer and prevent you from losing a document or other data you are working on.
You will want to call your local electrician, Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros, for an in-home quote on installing a whole house surge protection system in your home. With the cost of insurance deductibles today, the price is easily justified by preventing just one major appliance from being damaged. In some instances an insurance company will adjust your premium if you install whole house protection against thunderbolt strikes.
Give MB Electrician Pros a call today for your protection against lightning and power surges.
MB Electrician Pros
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-353-6345
electriciansmyrtlebeach.com
Areas Served: Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest, Conway, Surfside Beach, Socastee