Don't stand under a tree during a thunderstorm
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Swollen Member
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Show Me State
Don't stand under a tree during a thunderstorm
In case you didn't already know this bit of wisdom here is further proof of what can happen. Lightning struck my tree in my backyard Sunday night. It was about 10 pm and the wife and I had just crawled into bed when all of a sudden BAM! It was the loudest scariest thing I've ever experienced. I thought my house had blown up. The tree that got struck is about 30 feet from my bedroom window. It blew a hole in the ground next to the tree and blew out of the ground next to the kids playground set about 10 feet away. It also blew off quite a bit of bark and you can see all the debris on the ground from it. I was without power for 22 hours because it totally melted my circuit breaker panel. Surprising it didn't fry my widescreen TV, AV equipment, nor my computers. I think it's because they were on expensive ass surge protectors. It did fry my two wired home phones but not my cordless ones. It also fried a few other minor things like my DSL modem and router, an alarm clock, two directv receivers and a photocell sensor for my landscape lights.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Golden, CO
Good thing you're okay. Homeowner's insurance should take care of all the broken stuff, right?
On a side note, it's always so cool how you can see exactly what path the lightning took down the tree based on the burn patterns in the bark. Nature is awesomely scary.:noes:
On a side note, it's always so cool how you can see exactly what path the lightning took down the tree based on the burn patterns in the bark. Nature is awesomely scary.:noes:
Thread Starter
Swollen Member
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Show Me State
Here are the food items I threw out. :cry: I wasn't sure if they spoiled or not but I wasn't taking any chances, besides insurance is paying for it. The total bill so far has come to about $4,000.
$2,000 for the new circuit breaker panel and wiring shorts through out the house
$700 to pump and inspect the septic tank/system
$300+ in food thrown out
$1000? in electronics
Possibly will need tree removed if it doesn't leaf out next year. Insurance only pays $500 for removal and/or replacement.
The part that sucks is I have a $1,000 deductible on my insurance policy.
$2,000 for the new circuit breaker panel and wiring shorts through out the house
$700 to pump and inspect the septic tank/system
$300+ in food thrown out
$1000? in electronics
Possibly will need tree removed if it doesn't leaf out next year. Insurance only pays $500 for removal and/or replacement.
The part that sucks is I have a $1,000 deductible on my insurance policy.