Smart Ways to Protect Your Home from Lightning

Do you know that lightning can discharge electricity more than 200,000 amps within a fraction of a second at a speed of over 300,000 km/h? Do you know that it is hazardous even to wash dishes at home when there is a forecast of a lightning storm in your area?

The life of everyone inside your home can be at risk when an intense discharge of electricity flows across the electrical system due to a lightning strike. Hence, it is mandatory to take intelligent measures to protect your family and your costly appliances from lightning strikes.

Here is what you can do.

Smart ways for lightning protection

1.      Install a lightning protection system

The first thing you should do is install a lightning protection system by adequately connecting your house's electrical system with it. Make sure the lightning system has suitable quality-control grades and standardized certificates. Experts suggest buying a lightning protection unit from a reputed company to ensure quality, appropriate alloy use, proper calibration of possible lightning strikes, good design features, and durability. This lightning protection unit must have lightning rods, prominent conductors, surge protectors, grounds, bonds, etc.

2.      Unplug everything connected to the electrical system during a lightning storm

When there is a forecast, unplug the devices connected to your home’s electrical system at your convenience. Don’t wait for the first thunder and act fast. Unplug all the costly devices and put off all the switches. A lightning strike has enough potential to travel through the wires and damage all your running appliances. Even if you switch off these appliances, make sure you remove the plugs. Homeowners can keep the lights on for safety purposes.

3.      Surge suppressors

You can install voltage surge suppressors apart from a lightning protection system. This suppressor will stop the extra voltage surge due to a lightning strike when you are unavailable to unplug the devices. This is a wall of safety you can trust when you have left your appliances connected to the primary electrical system, and a lightning storm has approached. This suppressor can handle voltage surges and will indeed reduce the probability of your devices getting damaged to a considerable extent.

4.      Check before you buy or rent a home

Another measure you should follow is to check the earthing system of a house before buying or renting. If you are not sure about your lack of technical expertise, consult an electrician to take a good look into your home's electrical system and the entire building if possible. Make sure you have the electrical system connected with a suitable lightning protection system to protect your appliances and electronics.

Final words

These are the most innovative ways to protect your family members, your electronic appliances, and your home from lightning strikes and their consequences. The voltage of one lightning strike is enough to melt wires and cause a fire. Hence, installing a lightning protection system must be your priority.