Lightening strike - Raynham, MA

3/24/2017 (Permalink)

If you know that your house has just been struck by lightning, call the fire department. The most common area for fires to start are within the walls and attic, where the fire can hide. 

A lightning bolt's main objective is to find the path of least resistance from cloud to ground. Most homes have many potential routes for lightning to follow. A few examples would be electric lines, cable and phone lines, gutters, etc....

There are three main hazards to a house that is hit directly

• Fire Danger: this is the biggest threat to homes.


• Power Surge Damage: If lighten chooses any of the home's electrical wiring, the explosive surge can damage even non-electronic appliance that are connected to an outlet.


• Shock Wave Damage: The shock waves that lightning create is what produces the thunder that we hear and at close range, these waves can be destructive. It can fracture concrete, brick, chimney etc.

It is nearly impossible to provide 100% protection to avoid your home being struck by lightning. However if you have been stuck the best thing to do is contact the fire department and leave your home if you smell smoke.