Like any protection system, the cost of not having one can be tragic.
How do I know if I should install a lightning arrester?
This is a question we are often asked. It is a safety issue. Just as fire protection systems should be installed, in case they are needed, a lightning protection system seems dispensable until it is too late.
If you are a private individual, the reasons are simple. It is a question of avoiding damage to your home, your personal belongings or your family. Computers, televisions, household appliances or heaters are the most likely objects to be “fried” in the event of a lightning strike. Compared to the damage that a lightning strike can cause, a lightning rod is inexpensive.
On the other hand, if you have a company, the issue is even simpler. Lightning can destroy machinery, stock, raw materials, or simply interrupt production for a considerable period of time. The losses it can cause are far greater than the cost of the protection system. To give an example, two years ago a cattle farm in Chile lost 64 cows to lightning. A more notorious case was ten years ago, in Aragon, where lightning struck a flour mill, causing a fire that left 5 people dead and several seriously injured. The company never recovered from what happened and ended up closing its doors.
All these events are avoidable with the installation of lightning protection measures, both external -such as lightning conductors- and internal -such as surge protectors-.
But what is the real risk of a lightning strike on a building?
This is very simple to obtain because we provide you with a lightning strike risk calculation. In addition to the probability, it provides a recommendation according to the UNE 21186 standard as to whether a protection system is necessary.
Quickly check what your real risk is:
