Why Do We Have Lightning Rods

The purpose of lightning rods is often misunderstood.

Why do we have lightning rods.

Lightning rods intercept this voltage providing a safe path for lightning current into the ground. It is better stated to say that lightning rods provide a low resistance path to ground that can be used to conduct the enormous electrical currents when lightning strikes occur. Lightning rods and grounding. Lightning or electricity is searching for the quickest route to the ground.

Note that lightning protection systems do not prevent lightning from striking the structure but rather intercept a lightning strike provide a conductive path for the harmful electrical discharge to follow the appropriate ul listed copper or aluminum cable and disperse the energy safely into the ground. A lightning rod or lightning conductor is a metal rod mounted on a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike. Lightning rods and the accompanying protection system are designed to protect a house or building from a direct lightning strike and in particular a lightning initiated fire. If lightning hits the structure it will preferentially strike the rod and be conducted to ground through a wire instead of passing through the structure where it could start a fire or cause electrocution.

How many homes have lighting rods. There is the heavy duty kind on skyscrapers that takes the brunt of bolts and conducts them safely to ground and the delicate sharply pointed ones that protect residences by bleeding off electric charge and preventing strikes. Lightning rods are also called finials air terminals or strike termination devices. Everyone learns about lightning rods in grade school.

People can install lightning rods which conduct the charge be conducted to ground through a wire instead of passing through the structure where it could start a fire or cause electrocution on. In a lightning protection system a lightning rod is a single comp. They do not decrease the likelihood your home may be struck but provide a direct path to ground preventing damage to your home from fire explosion and electrical surges that can result from lightning strikes.