| Today's house wiring plans needs some kind of | | | | trees, outbuildings, and other structures that might |
| protection against the possibility of property | | | | attract a lightning strike. |
| damage caused by lightning strikes and power | | | | Another concern, however, is the possibility of |
| surges, not to mention the threat of injury to you | | | | damage caused by a power surge through your |
| and your family and the inconvenience of power | | | | utility lines. A power surge from a lightning strike |
| outages. | | | | miles away can still damage your electronic |
| A single lightning strike, for example, can contain | | | | equipment and telephone system. |
| 30,000 amps of electrical current-2,000 times | | | | To protect against a power surge, it is necessary |
| more than a typical 15-amp residential circuit. | | | | to stop the surge from entering the house wiring |
| Electronic equipment is sensitive to lightning, which | | | | at the main panel. This can be accomplished by |
| can destroy your expensive computer system | | | | installing a whole-house surge arrestor at the main |
| and digital big-screen television. | | | | panel and using individual surge arresters, or |
| Anything with microcircuits is at risk, including | | | | suppressors, at points of use that protect each |
| security systems and portable phones. Lightning | | | | device or appliance at its outlet. |
| traveling through phone lines can melt your | | | | To work properly, a surge protection system |
| modem. To make matters worse, a single flash | | | | must also be well grounded because excess |
| of lightning can consist of several discharges, | | | | current is diverted back through your home's |
| increasing the odds for damage. | | | | grounding system and into the earth. A good |
| A well-designed house wiring plans lightning | | | | lighting and surge suppression system will offer |
| protection system will carry a lightning charge | | | | little comfort, though, if you're hit by a major |
| through lightning rods and cables on your home | | | | power outage lasting for days. For this, it is wise |
| down to the ground and safely dissipate it. An | | | | to have an optional standby generator as a |
| effective system should even extend to nearby | | | | backup source of emergency power. |