Lightning Strike and Power Surge Inspection

A lightning strike or power surge can damage more than your electronics. The same surge that fries a TV can damage the wiring inside your walls, creating a hidden fire hazard. Cooper Electric uses CurrentSAFE testing to find concealed lightning damage in homes across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

CurrentSAFE After a Lightning Strike

CurrentSAFE is the test we perform after lightning strikes and electrical surges, as well as for general electrical hazard detection. We have seen lightning strikes blow electrical equipment right off the walls of homes, and the wiring behind those walls is often damaged too. CurrentSAFE instruments detect that concealed damage so it can be repaired before it causes a fire.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, Ohio has ranked among the top 10 states for homeowners insurance losses from lightning and surges.

Working with Your Insurance Company

Some homeowners insurance policies cover power surge damage that is a direct result of a lightning strike. If you think your home’s electrical system was damaged by lightning or a surge, it should be tested. Cooper Electric is experienced in working with insurance companies on lightning and surge damage to electrical wiring.

Signs of Lightning Damage

• Black scorch marks on siding, often around the perimeter of the home
• Singe marks on the wall reaching outward from an outlet or switch box
• Discolored wiring, such as a white neutral wire that has turned dark
• Outlets, lights or circuits that stopped working after a storm

Lightning damage can also be completely hidden inside walls. During CurrentSAFE testing our technicians inspect wiring using minimally invasive tools.

Why CurrentSAFE Instead of a Megger Test?

1. A megger test can cause damage

A megger test sends 500 to 1,000 volts DC across an electrical system designed for 240 volts AC, two to four times the normal operating voltage. It has been known to destroy light bulbs and circuit boards left connected during testing. CurrentSAFE is a non-destructive test.

2. A megger test only measures one thing

A megger only tests the resistance of the wire insulation. It cannot test resistance in the normal current path, such as a connection damaged by lightning. That kind of poor connection can build up enough heat to start a fire in an outlet or junction box, and a megger would never detect it.

3. A megger test cannot tell you where the problem is

If insulation fails a megger test, you only know the problem is somewhere along the entire circuit, like a needle in a haystack. CurrentSAFE methodically tests every switch, receptacle and light fixture to make sure no hidden damage from the lightning strike remains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Also see CSST gas line bonding, which helps protect gas piping from lightning damage.