PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Valley night skies have been lighting up this week - big time! And rogue lightning bolts have caused some serious damage for some homeowners.
So what's the straight story on lightning rods? Do you really need one? Before you pony up the money, read this.
A lightning show brought on by the monsoon can be downright amazing. But as beautiful as they are, they can be just as destructive.
Lightning struck a tree in a central Phoenix yard on Thursday, sparking flames that threatened Jeanette Irwin's house.
"I see a wall of flame, I mean a big wall of flame," she said when she looked outside.
A home in Sun City West was destroyed Wednesday night after it was struck also. But before you shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for a lightning rod system, Korman Electric's Daniel Ladenburg said you most likely won't need one.
"It doesn't seem like something that's necessary, not when you have so many things in houses these days providing a path to ground," he said.
He says lightning rods send the electrical currents into the ground. Nowadays houses are already required to have something similar.
"Anything within the last 20 to 30 years, they're going to require ground rods," said Ladenburg.
He says these 8-feet copper rods are pounded into the ground. They're connected to your house's electrical panel. So if lightning were to strike your home, Ladenburg says this provides a safe route for the electricity.
It's important to note that these wiring systems are required in newer homes. Older ones may not have them. Ladenburg recommends having a qualified electrician check out your home to see what system would be appropriate for you.
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