Safety is the most important thing and every property owner should remember this. As you know, storms happen relatively often and pose a significant fire hazard. Choosing the right lightning protection system is therefore essential. Learn more about it!
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Lightning protection installation - what is it and what is its use?
A lightning protection system protects a house from fire caused by lightning. It also protects the electrical installation from the effects of lightning current. It should be noted that the regulations are clear, namely that every single-family house should have a lightning protection system if the lightning hazard indicator is high. It is calculated taking into account the size of the building, its location, but also the type of construction or the material from which the roof is made.
Of course, that's not all, because you also have to take into account the conditions in a given atmospheric zone. The average annual storm time is also of great importance. A lightning protection system undoubtedly affects safety, as it protects buildings from shocks resulting from lightning discharges. A lightning rod is a device that intercepts and discharges the current accumulated in lightning. In this way, it protects a house or a public building from fire.
Is a lightning protection installation mandatory?
A lightning protection system is not always mandatory, but it is still worth increasing your safety and opting for it. More information about the obligation to use a lightning protection system is provided by building regulations. According to them, a single-family house must have a lightning rod installed if the lightning hazard indicator indicates it. Additionally, a lightning protection system must be installed on the roof if the building area is larger than 500 m2 and the height exceeds 15 meters.
Moreover, if the building was built from materials considered flammable, its size does not matter and a lightning protection system is necessary. It is best to prepare a lightning protection system design at the stage of creating design documentation. Although it is not always necessary, a lightning rod minimizes the risks resulting from lightning strikes. Imagine that in Poland there are two lightning discharges per 1 km2 of the earth's surface per year. The lightning hazard indicator also depends on the type of building, namely different standards apply to single-family houses, and different ones to public buildings. It is also important to remember how important it is to maintain an appropriate value of the grounding system resistance.
What does a lightning protection installation consist of?
The lightning protection installation consists of the following elements:
- coils that are placed on the roof or chimney;
- down conductors - these are laid on the side walls of the building, and at least two conductors must be used. They connect the air terminals with the ground. Test terminals are used for this;
- vertical air terminals and horizontal air terminals - they receive the lightning directly.
- grounding conductors - these connect the down conductors to the ground.
- test terminals - they allow for measuring the earth resistance, but also checking the galvanic continuity.
- natural or artificial earth electrode, which is placed in the ground.
The lightning rod mast protects objects that cannot be secured with horizontal air terminals, but the height of the mast must be calculated correctly, namely the height value H is equal to the difference in height between the head tip and the highest point of the protected object. It must be at least 2 meters.
If a lightning protection system is chosen for a single-family house, the function of the air terminals can be performed by roof coverings made of sheet metal, but it must be at least 0.5 mm thick and made of non-flammable materials. Any conductive element that has a sharp end, especially metal, can be a natural source of electrical discharges. In lightning protection systems, artificial horizontal or vertical air terminals can be used, which allow for very fast transfer of the lightning discharge towards the ground.
Lightning protection systems can be passive or active. The former use low horizontal air terminals, while active lightning protection systems are a more modern solution. They consist of fewer components. They provide single-point protection. They are suitable for small, medium and large facilities, but when choosing one, one must pay attention to the radius of the protection area.
Select the elements of the Elko-Bis lightning protection system
When selecting products for a lightning protection system, it is worth choosing elements of the recognized Elko-Bis brand. The company has numerous products in its offer. Check out one of its solutions.
The ELKO-BIS complete 3-meter OC earthing rod is worthy of attention. It is made of strong and reliable galvanized steel. It is used for driven earthing rods.
It is worth choosing the ELKO-BIS 3-M 3P aluminum lightning protection mast . It is used to protect metal roof elements, but also devices such as air conditioners or even ventilation units.
An important element of the lightning protection system is the grounding rod. You can choose the ELKO-BIS L-1500 grounding rod, fi 16mm OC . It also plays a very important role in the entire installation. This model is extremely durable and resistant to mechanical damage. It is one of the most important elements of a complete grounding.
Check out Elko-Bis lightning protection systems at the Onninen wholesaler