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Protecting Your Electrical Appliances Against Lightning Strikes
When lightning strikes your home, it can cause electrical problems. Often lightning hits a tree or a pole nearby and as a result the home electrical system can get affected. During thunderstorms, lightning can cause damage to the electrical system as well as to the electrical appliances.
When an electrical appliance is being used when lightning strikes, it can be very harmful. Risk of fire is very high and therefore it is important for every home to ensure its electrical safety.
As soon as lightning strikes, look out whether there is possibility of a fire, especially in the attic or basement. Lightning generates tremendous heat, and if you suspect fire, just get in touch with the fire department. Your insurance company should be informed as well, so that your claim at a later stage becomes easy.
After that it is important to check out the electrical safety of your house. An electrical contractor can check the entire house including lights, burners, electrical appliances, wall sockets, outside receptacles as well as attic fans. Anything can get damaged inside the house if lightning strikes and the electrician can identify the damage immediately.
But it is necessary to think about protecting your home before lightning strikes. Some experts suggest installation of surge protectors or lightning rods. These will protect the lightning entering the wiring of the house. The surge protector can divert the excess voltage to a ground wire. A lightning rod drives the current away from the house and also channels it to the ground. If you take these precautions, it will not be necessary to combat the after-effects of a lightning strike on your home.