The extreme power of lightning can instantly kill a tree or damage it so severely that it is susceptible to heavy and even mortal damage from pests. That is why valuable trees that are a part of your landscape need lightning protection systems to eliminate or mitigate the dangers from lightning strikes. Trees that are taller than other trees in the area and nearby homes and buildings are especially in jeopardy of a lighting strike that can be devastating to the health of the tree.
Methods to Protect Trees from Lightning
The most common and effective lightning protection systems involves copper wire and a grounding components to protect trees from the damaging affects of lightning. An electrical conductors made of sturdy copper line is connected to the top of the tree and leads down the tree and sometimes on major branches to the ground where it is connected to a buried metal grounding rod, spike or plate. This grounding rod transfers a lightning strike into the ground where the electrical energy is transferred away from the tree and dispelled, dissipated and spread out into the ground safely.
Since installing a copper line to the top heights of a tree with fastening hardware involves the potentially hazardous activities of climbing or using a bucket truck, installing a lightning protection system is best left to professional arborists experienced and trained to complete the job effectively and safely. Certified Arbor Care of Austin has trained arborists experienced in lightning protection, and the company is fully licensed, bonded and insured for your protection.
Regular inspection of the lightning protection system is required to keep it in proper operational order, especially with fast-growing trees.
Service Area for Lightning Protection from Certified Arbor Care
Contact the arborists from Certified Arbor Care for expert consultation on lightning protection for your trees. We install and maintain lightning protection in the Austin Metro area, and in the communities of: