Like any protection system, the cost of not having one can be tragic.
How do I know if I should install a lightning rod?
This is a question we are frequently asked. It is a matter of safety. Just as fire protection systems must be installed in case they are needed, a lightning protection system seems expendable until it is too late.
If you are an individual, the reasons are simple. It is a matter of preventing damage to your home, your personal belongings, or your family. Computers, televisions, appliances, or water heaters are the items most likely to get "fried" in the event of a lightning strike. Compared to the damage a lightning strike can cause, a lightning rod is cheap.
On the other hand, if you own a business, the issue is even simpler. Lightning can destroy machinery, stock, raw materials, or simply interrupt production for a considerable time. The losses it can cause are much greater than the cost of the protection system. For example, two years ago a cattle farm in Chile lost 64 cows due to a lightning strike. More notorious was a case from ten years ago, in Aragon, where lightning struck a flour mill, causing a fire that left 5 dead and several seriously injured. The company never recovered from the incident and ended up closing its doors.
All these events are preventable with the installation of lightning protection measures, both external—like lightning rods—and internal—like surge protectors.
But what is the real risk of a building being struck by lightning?
This is very simple data to obtain, as we provide you with a lightning strike risk calculation. In addition to the probability, it provides a recommendation according to the UNE 21186 standard on whether the protection system is necessary.
