Despite the research, natural phenomena such as thunder and lightning are inevitable. Eternal companions of storms are the cause of many tragedies. Among the most relevant are crop field destruction, lightning strikes on livestock, electrical surges, fires, and loss of life. Contrary to popular belief, these natural disasters can strike cities as well as the countryside. In the immediate future, the first preventive measure is to stay at home in stormy weather. However, this reflex is not sufficient. For optimal safety, it is necessary to ensure interior and exterior protection of the habitat.

1. Ensure exterior protection

During a thunderstorm, heating the air to 30,000°C in a fraction of a second causes a very high intensity electrostatic discharge. This electrical discharge is called lightning. The thunder is the noisy sound emitted by this shock. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs between clouds, between a cloud and the ground, or in a thundercloud. Occasionally, lightning strikes occur when a lightning current passes through a tree, animal, or human body.

The installation of a lightning conductor is a preventive measure to protect against lightning. Indeed, it allows us to avoid the tragic effects of this phenomenon in the surroundings of a habitat. The design and manufacture of the lightning conductor aim at trapping lightning. It is composed of a rod generally placed on the roof, which is connected in a wire way to a device inserted in the ground. In practice, the lightning current is directly captured in height. Then, the ground connection allows the energy generated by the lightning to flow directly to the ground. In this way, the risk of external lightning strikes is eliminated. This process must be carried out by a company specializing in lightning protection.

2. Prevent damage to electrical equipment

The electrostatic discharge caused by lightning leads to high electrical surges. Therefore, electrical equipment must be protected to avoid deterioration. The lightning arrester is a solution to this problem. Its mission is to prevent the integration of surges in the electrical circuit. As soon as an electrical surge situation occurs, it evacuates it to the ground. Thus, only electrically stable voltages can be fed into the electrical circuit. This is how the surge protector prevents electrical appliances from being burned out.

To ensure its role, this device is installed on the electrical panel. Generally, it is placed between the main circuit breaker and the differential switches. During the installation, it is necessary to cut the electric current and confirm the lightning arrester’s wire connection towards the ground.

3. Apply the safety instructions in stormy weather

The first two safety measures stated above are to be carried out before the arrival of the storm. However, despite the relevance of these preventive measures, they are not sufficient for optimal safety against the misdeeds of lightning. Therefore, some basic behaviors are to be adopted in stormy weather. It is important to know that electrical installations and piping are conductors of lightning current. Therefore, it is vital to stay away from them during the storm. Given this fact, the actions related to the use of these conductive channels are also to be banned. Thus, washing dishes or taking a shower is not recommended. Electrical appliances should be disconnected.

For optimal safety, the use of electric current should be avoided. Wherever possible, it is recommended that the power supply be disconnected. At a minimum, appliances, television, game console, or electric water heater should not be turned on during stormy weather.

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