Every year we get calls from very frustrated homeowners and business owners here in the St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri areas that have been affect by either a close or direct lightning strike. TV’s stop working, microwaves, computers, even furnaces and air conditioners. The extreme voltages that pass through your electrical system can and will totally cook electronic devices.
Just today, 10/2/14 a residence in St. Charles, Missouri burned to the ground and the cause according to fire department personnel was a direct lightning strike. A lightning bolt can reach temperatures of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s hotter than the surface of the sun!
Anything subjected to that temperature even if for a millisecond will burst into flame.
Often these fires start on the roof or attic where the strike occurred. They can slowly work from a smoldering hot spot to a fully involved house fire within hours if not detected early.
All new houses in St. Louis and St. Charles are required to have smoke detectors in bedrooms, hallways and other areas. But what about the attic? What if a lightning strike occurs while you are sleeping or away? The only way you will know you have a fire is to look up in the attic or a passer by sees it. Often news paper delivery people or a passing police officer will observe these fires in the middle of the night which was the case earlier today.
We can install whole house surge protection on your electrical service panels that will stop the extreme high voltage surges generated by a lightning strike. In some cases the manufacturer offers a “money back” guarantee to off set insurance deductibles in the event of a loss with their equipment in place.
Grasser Electric also has Lightning Protection contractors at our disposal that can install lightning rods on your home. Old technology? Yes. Does it work, apparently so. Most all government and commercial buildings today are equipped with lightning rods. In Florida, the lightning capitol of the country, lightning rods are a familiar sight and according to folks there, they do work!
Call Grasser Electric to discuss protecting your house from the problems that can arise due to lightning.
