May is National Electrical Safety Month and the Lightning Protection Institute is joining with the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to raise awareness about the importance of electrical safety—including lightning, an underrated and often forgotten electrical hazard. Lightning is the rapid discharge of atmospheric electricity that can pack up to 100 million volts of power—so [...]

  Spring showers are bringing beautiful flowers, but dangerous thunderstorms are not so welcome. Find out how a lightning protection system can protect your structure so you can safely enjoy the sights and sounds of spring. Recent lightning-triggered fires across the country highlight the destructive impact this hazardous force of nature can have on unprotected [...]

  FEMA and NOAA have partnered to designate March 3-9, 2013 as National Severe Weather Preparedness Week and are calling upon all Americans to Be a Force of Nature.  National Severe Weather Preparedness Week is a nationwide effort to increase awareness of severe weather and to motivate individuals, families, businesses, and communities to take actions [...]

 As first responders, firefighters play a critical role in lightning safety and the lightning protection education process.  The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) has made a commitment to support firefighters by sponsoring a “Campaign to Help Build Lightning Safe Communities.”  This is a continuation of LPI’s recent initiative to provide lightning protection resources to the public [...]

The National Weather Service (NWS) reported lightning striking from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest during a widespread winter storm that recently hit the U.S. and parts of Canada on January 17, 2013.  The date happened to be Benjamin Franklin’s 306th birthday, who ironically, happens to be the inventor of the lightning rod. “Thundersnow” is [...]

Remember the Lightning Protection when Going Green! Hazard resistance can improve sustainability & prevent losses.

December 28, 2012

     Natural disasters can have a devastating effect on you, your home and your property. While sustainable building design concepts are increasingly being incorporated into construction through green building rating systems, it’s important that these practices also implement resiliency measures to address natural hazards. Designers, builders and code officials are typically mindful of practices that [...]

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Post-Hurricane Clean-up Highlights Need to Coordinate Lightning Protection Repairs with Re-roofing

November 20, 2012

Lightning protection components such as strike termination devices (rods) and conductors can be impacted when a building is damaged by extreme weather events and re-roofing is required.[/caption]   Coordination Ensures Proper Maintenance for Both  Weather events like hurricanes, high winds, ice and snow, and extreme temperatures can degrade a structure’s roof system, and in turn [...]

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It’s Fire Prevention Week! Could Your Home be at Risk to Fire Sparked by Lightning?

October 8, 2012

Your home should be a safe haven for you and your family. But even the most safety-conscious homeowner may not have considered a risk that affects thousands of homeowners each year. Lightning associated with thunderstorms and sometimes hurricanes can pose a variety of fire hazards and these fires have highlighted the dangerous and destructive impact that lightning can have on protected homes and structures.

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Lightning Protection and Insurance Loss Mitigation Rewards for Homeowners

September 28, 2012

Similar to other home security measures that reduce expected losses for insurers, lightning protection systems provide valuable loss mitigation against a costly weather hazard that affects millions of homeowners in the U.S. Statistically, lightning is the most commonly experienced weather hazard, unlike earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes or hurricanes, which are more likely to affect homeowners in certain geographical regions of the country.

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Hurricane Season is a Timely Reminder of the Devastating Effect Natural Disasters Can Have on You and Your Property

September 5, 2012

We hear a lot about sustainable building design concepts and have witnessed an increase in sustainability being incorporated into construction through green building rating systems. There is certainly a consensus of the importance of implementing resiliency measures to fortify homes and structures to address concerns about most natural hazards. Designers, builders and code officials are typically mindful of practices that provide resistance to natural hazards such as high winds, earthquakes, floods and wildfires–but what about lightning?

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