Myth #14: I don’t need lightning rods because only tall buildings get hit and my neighbors’ houses are much taller.įact: Lower roof levels and structures are often lightning targets, as lightning is just seeking that lowest resistance path to ground. The electrical service is not adequate to handle a lightning strike which can pack up to 30 million volts of power. Myth #13 : All modern buildings are “grounded” and don’t need lightning protection, right?įact: No! This refers to the electrical service being grounded for general electricity. antennas and satellite dishes protect structures from lightning.įact: No! As antennas are not adequately grounded to safely handle the powerful lightning current, the can actually provide an easy entry for lightning’s harmful current. If you live in a lightning-prone area, it provides a big return on a small investment. Myth #11: Lightning protection is way too expensive for the average homeowner.įact: Lightning protection is often one of the least expensive home improvements you can purchase and offers peace of mind and proven protection for your family, home and valuables. These items must be installed in conjunction with a lightning protection system (air terminals, bonding, grounding, etc.) to provide whole house protection. Myth #10 : Surge arresters and suppressors will protect my home against lightning.įact: Surge arresters and suppressors are important components of a complete lightning protection system, but can do nothing to protect a structure against a direct lightning strike. Myth #9: Lightning rods attract lightning.įact: Definitely not! A lightning protection system simply intercepts a lightning strike and provides a path to ground for discharging the dangerous electricity. If lightning does happen to hit it, the metal can conduct the electricity a long distance and still electrocute you. While metal doesn’t attract lightning, touching or being near long metal objects (fences, railings, bleachers, vehicles, etc.) is still unsafe when thunderstorms are nearby. The presence of metal makes virtually no difference where the lightning strikes. Myth #8: Wearing metal on your body (jewelry, watches, glasses, backpacks, etc.), attracts lightning.įact: Height, pointy shape, and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. An inside room is generally safe, but a home equipped with a professionally-installed lightning protection system is the safest shelter available. Don’t stand near a window to watch the lightning. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as corded telephones, electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors or window frames, etc. Myth #7: A house will keep you safe from lightning.įact: While a house is a good place for lightning safety, just going inside isn’t enough. Myth #6: If outside in a thunderstorm, go under a tree to stay dry.įact: Being underneath trees is the second leading activity for lightning casualties. It is perfectly safe to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid. If you touch them, you’ll be electrocuted.įact: The human body doesn’t store electricity. Myth #5: A lightning victim is electrified. Thus convertibles, motorcycles, bikes, open shelled outdoor recreation vehicles, and cars with plastic or fiberglass shells offer no lightning protection. Myth #4: Rubber tires protect you from lightning in a car by insulating you from the ground.įact: Most cars are reasonably safe from lightning, but it’s the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, not the rubber tires. “Bolts from the Blue,” though infrequent, can strike 10-15 miles from the thunderstorm. Myth #3: If it’s not raining, or if clouds aren’t overhead, you’re safe from lightning.įact: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even thunderstorm cloud. This is why major buildings like the Sears Tower or the Empire State sustain dozens of strikes a year and are still standing! Myth #2: Lightning rods don’t really work.įact: When installed with national safety standards, lightning protection systems will properly protect a building to withstand a multitude of lightning strikes. (Recent video footage in April of 2011 recorded lightning striking the Empire State Building several times in a matter of just a few minutes.) The Empire State Building was once used as a lightning laboratory, since it is hit nearly 25 times per year. Myth #1: Lightning never strikes the same place twice.įact: Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it’s a tall, pointy, isolated object. Knowing fact from fiction can save lives and prevent lightning injuries. Here are some common myths about lightning and the actual facts.
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