[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Lightning

We have had 5 homes destroyed this year by lightning, two last year, and one in 2022. The previous record was four in 2015. However, we had none in 2010, 2011, 2012 for over 1,100 days. For more information on lightning consider attending The Villages Philosophy Club's meeting on Friday, August 23 at 4 PM at the Lake Miona Regional Recreation Center where Lightning Tips for Villagers will be presented. This covers personal lightning safety, indirect strikes to appliances and electronics, direct strikes to the home, and debunks 10 myths about lightning. You only need a Villages ID to attend.

Two of our nearby neighbors have flagpoles higher than our house. Does this give us any protection from strikes?

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Two of our nearby neighbors have flagpoles higher than our house. Does this give us any protection from strikes?

Sorry but no, there's additional risk of a side flash since they are not grounded and the wiring/gas lines in your home are grounded.

One way to think about it is a LPS is like an umbrella over your house. The rods are dispersed in a pattern to protect energy from a potential direct strike around the outside of your home. Minimizing risk of damage.

[Donegalkid]

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker

We moved to The Villages on June 11th. Since moving here there have been many direct lightning strikes to homes, several with severe damage. Never in my life have I lived in a place with so many strikes. Is there a way to prevent or reduce our home's chance of being struck?

We moved here from Southern Florida, where the storms are extremely intense and still this is very different.

Lots of good posts on this subject regarding things to do: lighting rods (installed according to the CODE), exterior e-line surge protector, internal surge protectors on lead internal electrical circuits. We had A-1 Lightning do the rods. Excellent. Per the CODE.

[sounding]

Originally Posted by Karmanng

BE AWARE there are alot of homes here that have GAS and it is in the ATTIC !!!! very very stupid place for this builder to put in there ! SOOOO when you get a strike it is possible that the house will EXPLODE not just get a small fire.............so for those that have GAS IN THE ATTIC its your choice..............to do it or not to do it

After putting up lighting rods, and adding a whole house surge protector, and installing a quick shut-off value for the incoming gas line ... I had our attic flexible yellow gas lines (which are not lightning proof) replaced by black iron pipe - which is lightning proof.

[Lightning]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Two of our nearby neighbors have flagpoles higher than our house. Does this give us any protection from strikes?

It is random and lightning does not always hit the highest point. At one of the houses destroyed on Saturday night had queen palms at the height of the roof peak. They did not get hit but the house sure did. Lightning is highly UNPREDICTABLE!

[pcntech]

It is my understanding that the builders run the natural gas lines in the house up in the attic. (If you have gas). I have also heard it is in some kind of "flex" tubing and not a metal pipe. So lightning hits roof, gas escapes and ignites. I too am in awe of the power of nature. Coming from So. Calif and having gone through several earthquakes, these storms are unnerving. At least I can put glasses on top shelf in cabinets without fear of earthquake!

[Bay Kid]

As a child Grandma made me sit in the middle of the house, be quiet and don't move. Only 1 person controls the lightning I was told.

[Blueblaze]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Hard wired major appliances such as your, HVAC, garage door openers, ceiling fans, microwave, dish washer, tankless water, SPA/Pool, etc. remain unprotected.

$72/year for whole house surge protection seems pretty ridiculous when your realize you could buy a surge protector for every electronic device in your home for almost the same money. Almost none of the electronic devices in your home are hard-wired, and motor-driven devices like garbage disposals, A/C compressors, and pool pumps don't need it. Even the electronics on your HVAC are on that 110v plug next to your furnace, which you can easily plug into a $5 single-plug surge protector.

I agree that SECO ought to provide whole-house protection. But $72/year to insure your appliances against a lightning strike is absurd when you realize it only costs a couple of grand to insure your entire house against EVERYTHING

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Blueblaze

$72/year for whole house surge protection seems pretty ridiculous when your realize you could buy a surge protector for every electronic device in your home for almost the same money. Almost none of the electronic devices in your home are hard-wired, and motor-driven devices like garbage disposals, A/C compressors, and pool pumps don't need it. Even the electronics on your HVAC are on that 110v plug next to your furnace, which you can easily plug into a $5 single-plug surge protector.

I agree that SECO ought to provide whole-house protection. But $72/year to insure your appliances against a lightning strike is absurd when you realize it only costs a couple of grand to insure your entire house against EVERYTHING

The whole-house suppressor is not *insurance* it is protection. Insurance reimburses you for the purchase of items destroyed by a lightning strike. *Protection* prevents the strike from destroying the items in the first place.

If you don't mind the inconvenience of replacing electronics or appliances or your entire home then rely only on your insurance. If you would rather avoid the hassle of dealing with no refrigerator or no AC or no TV or no roof then install protection systems (LPS, whole-house , and endpoint)

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Blueblaze

$72/year for whole house surge protection seems pretty ridiculous when your realize you could buy a surge protector for every electronic device in your home for almost the same money. Almost none of the electronic devices in your home are hard-wired, and motor-driven devices like garbage disposals, A/C compressors, and pool pumps don't need it. Even the electronics on your HVAC are on that 110v plug next to your furnace, which you can easily plug into a $5 single-plug surge protector.

I agree that SECO ought to provide whole-house protection. But $72/year to insure your appliances against a lightning strike is absurd when you realize it only costs a couple of grand to insure your entire house against EVERYTHING

I've had motor driven appliances like garage door openers and ceiling fans damaged by indirect lightening.

Anything on its own circuit breaker connected by a long run of wire is more susceptible to indirect induced surges. A/C compressors, tankless water heaters, and spa/pool pumps have embedded electronics now days so would be high on my list to protect.

A whole house protector like SECO or the Eaton should significantly reduce the risk for those devices. Eaton apparently has a useful warranty.

Or local hard wired protection can be added for about $100 plus labor for each device.

Belt and suspender people do both ;-)

[jrref]

Originally Posted by Blueblaze

$72/year for whole house surge protection seems pretty ridiculous when your realize you could buy a surge protector for every electronic device in your home for almost the same money. Almost none of the electronic devices in your home are hard-wired, and motor-driven devices like garbage disposals, A/C compressors, and pool pumps don't need it. Even the electronics on your HVAC are on that 110v plug next to your furnace, which you can easily plug into a $5 single-plug surge protector.

I agree that SECO ought to provide whole-house protection. But $72/year to insure your appliances against a lightning strike is absurd when you realize it only costs a couple of grand to insure your entire house against EVERYTHING

The Seco Type-1 surge protector is designed to block and or manage very large surges coming from the power lines to your home. It will help manage other surges but the Type-2 surge protector installed at your circuit breaker panel is specifically desiged to block and or manage any surges coming from any circuit in your home including those getting by the Seco protector. This is why the Seco protectors warranty states it won't cover any device with an electronic chip while the Eaton Ultra and the Vortexx do. According to a Leviton study power surges coming from the power lines occur about 20% of the time whereas all others occur about 80% of the time. In theory, for maximum protection you need both Type-1 and Type-2. If you don't want to spend the money on the Seco protector get the Eaton Ultra or the PSP Vortexx installed at your circuit breaker panel an you will be covered. Lenhart Electric installs both and has the best prices right now if you tell them you were referred from this site.