There's nothing more important than protecting your home and its contents – including, of course, your family. That's why it's crucial to take steps to guard against lightning strikes, which can cause major damage to your home’s electrical work and can even start a fire. Fortunately, there are several measures you can take to reduce the chance of lightning harming your home, possessions or family. Read on to learn how to keep these powerful forces of nature at bay.

Stop Surges in Their Tracks

Chances are, you won't ever have to experience a direct lightning strike to your home. For that, you can consider yourself lucky, but that doesn't mean that lightning can't affect you in other ways. If the bolt hits anywhere in the immediate area, especially to an electric line or something else connected to the power grid, a power surge can strike your home and destroy or damage your electrical work and electronics. One strike can be enough to ruin your new computer or television, or at least subtract a few years from their lifespans.

Fortunately, you can add layers of protection to your electrical work so your devices and appliances are less vulnerable to power surges. The first step is to purchase surge protectors for all your expensive devices in lieu of plugging them directly into your wall outlets. You can also have an electrician install a comprehensive surge protector in your circuit box which will protect the electrical work for the entire home.

The Importance of Staying Grounded

Beyond surge protection, you do need to protect your home from direct lightning strikes as well. Your local building code mandates that homes be grounded so that high levels of electric charge can escape into the Earth, dramatically reducing the risk of a fire or damage to your electrical work. If you live in an older home, it's a good idea to have an electrician evaluate your grounding system and upgrade it to modern standards if necessary.

Finally, if you live in an area with frequent thunderstorms, or your house is particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes, installing a lightning rod on the roof is a good idea. These rods stretch high above your home, attracting any lightning likely to strike nearby and conducting the charge into the ground. They can be a life saver if, for example, your house is isolated from other structures and set on the top of a hill.

Keeping Your Family Safe and Sound

With a few extra layers of protection, you can reduce the danger of lightning damage to your home and family to a minimum. If you need help setting up a system to protect your home electrical work from lightning strikes, contact an expert electrician today.

Older houses have a charm and appeal for most homeowners. A hundred years ago, homes weren’t as modular as today’s building techniques but instead trim work, mantles and cabinetry were built according to the space available and the contractor’s ability. Antique carpentry can be a thing of beauty, but electric systems that aren’t up to date can be a nightmare.

Old Outlets

The first problem with older outlets is they don’t typically have the ground plug. Appliances at one time were independently grounded, whereas modern appliances are designed to rely on the external ground for safety. Adapters are available, but they’re really only intended as a quick fix, not long term usage.

Secondly, outlets in an antique house are likely well past their intended operating life. A worn out outlet can be frustrating at best if it only works intermittently, and can be a dangerous fire hazard at worst if it is overheating or causing a spark due to a loose connection. The good news is, outlets themselves are relatively simple and inexpensive to replace.

Top Dallas Electrician, we know that whether you are remodeling, or starting fresh, some of the most versatile lighting options available are recessed can lighting, and pendant lighting. These types of lighting offer you the most flexibility, and the most visible improvement over unsightly light fixtures installed throughout your home.

Recessed can lighting allows you to fill a room with light, or highlight a particular area depending on your needs, and pendant lighting can accent a space beautifully such as a kitchen island, bar style counter, or eating area. Using these lighting styles in conjunction can help you recreate anything from a clean, modern kitchen, to a comfortable living room, or an elegant dining area, and anything else in between!