Choose the best lightning protection contractors for your specific industry.
Every year, business owners in various industries are forced to deal with inclement weather due to hurricanes, winter storms, heavy rains, flooding, and other natural disasters. Many of these weather conditions drag lightning along with them, which can cause damage due to direct and indirect strikes.
In fact, lightning damage has become so costly to commercial & industrial facilities in Florida and other parts of the country that lightning protection systems have become an essential form of protection for equipment, structures, and personnel. But how do you find the best lightning protection contractors to install and maintain lightning protection systems?
Here are a few tips for choosing the right lighting protection contractors for your industry.
Check to see if they are a UL Certified lightning protection system installer
Learning the ins and outs of lightning protection is not something that can be done overnight. There are a lot of design intricacies involved, including understanding how lightning operates, how energy travels throughout any given structure, and how to integrate the applicable standards to protect a structure correctly. It has been said that two guys with a pickup truck and ladder constitute a lightning protection company. That may be true in the case of lightning protection for a barn, but what about a large commercial building or a large existing plant. UL is the gold standard in the lightning protection industry. Being an Underwriters Laboratories UL certified Lightning Protection System Installer means that the company can work with UL to issue a Master Label, Letter of Findings, or Engineering Inspection Report, as appropriate for eligible structures. A sign off by a UL listed installer or providing a certification from UL should bring a customer peace of mind.
Does the installation company install UL Listed Components?
UL is recognized as the nationally recognized testing lab (NRTL) in the United States and has been utilized in multiple industries for more than a century. When any type of product is stamped with a UL listing symbol, this means that it has been tested and verified by industry experts as properly designed and manufactured. The components used by a lightning protection contractor should always be UL listed. Many installers use only residential quality components. Lightning Master has developed industrial quality UL listed components. For industrial installations, insist on industrial quality components.
Get multiple quotations
Business owners may be investigating other technologies and systems, and some will be offered at a lower cost. When quotes are compared, it is important to note that their path to lowering costs is to neglect certain necessary design requirements, such as bonding equipment, or providing lower quality parts. It is also important to compare the same technology and application. Sometimes spending a little extra will save you in the long run.
Three Prong attack to lightning protection
Proper design and installation of a lightning protection system are paramount to effectively protecting your property from direct and indirect lightning strikes. Sometimes it is it best to listen to the customer, start with where the damage is occurring or what critical piece of equipment is affected and apply the best solution to resolve the issue. This may come in the form of bonding and grounding, surge suppression or structural lightning protection. With the use of this three-pronged approach, sometimes lightning damage can be controlled by applying one or the other, or the combination of these solutions.
Contact Lightning Master for the highest quality Lightning Protection Contractors
Lightning Master is a UL Listed manufacturer of lightning protection system components. We manufacture in-house, ensuring we have complete control over quality. Lightning Master principals serve on industry organizations that actually write codes, standards and recommended practices. For professional, competent, and thorough lightning protection system design, installation, and support services, call Lightning Master at (727) 447-6800 today.