Lightning can be deadly, and if it hits your building, it can lead to significant damage and electrical fire hazards. While the majority of lightning strikes don’t result in building damage, you should know the signs that your building has been hit by lightning so that you can take immediate action to protect yourself and others living in the building.

In most cases, it’s easy to detect whether your building has been hit by lightning, and you may even be able to see the effects of a strike without having to hire an electrician or other professional.

5 Signs That Your Building Was Hit by Lightning

1) Shock Waves

When a thunderstorm is present and lightning strikes, it sends shock waves through the earth. The sound of these shock waves can make you feel as if someone is slamming a heavy object down on your building.

Even after the storm has passed, these vibrations may continue for up to an hour afterward. One of the telltale signs that your building was hit by lightning is hearing popping or snapping sounds in any part of your building.

2) Power Surges

Your lights will flicker and you may hear a loud, popping sound like something was being unplugged. It sounds like a spark or a popping sound, similar to what you hear when someone pulls out an extension cord.

Some people even say it feels like the sensation of static electricity, but this feeling only lasts for a second before going away again. Perhaps, it won’t start a fire immediately but it may create conditions similar to fire in near future.

3) Fire Damage

Lightning typically travels at a very high speed and will often leave behind an ash residue. An instant way to know if lightning has struck your building is by checking the burn marks on your building or anything near it.

Burn marks are the sure sign that lightning passed through there; however, it is common for the strike not to be in plain sight. Check all around your building for streaks of molten metal as well as signs of soot which are also common signs of an attack from lightning.

4) The Smell of Melting Plastic or Smoke

If your building was struck by lightning, you’ll likely smell melting plastic or smoke from the wiring and insulation that are damaged from the power surge. This can also come with a burnt odor as well.

If your building smells like this, it needs major work done to fix it or at least have an electrician come over to inspect it before anything else happens. The reason for this is that when these electrical parts get heated up too much, they become dangerous and can eventually lead to a fire.

5) Visible Fire Damage on the Roof

Your building’s roof is an important place to look if you’re wondering whether or not your building has been struck by lightning. If there’s evidence of fire damage, it’s possible that the lightning may have caused it. Furthermore, the fire damage could be near power lines, which can also be signs of a building being hit.

Conclusion

If you have had a lightning strike near your building, and you have seen the signs described above, it could be very important to contact an electrician immediately. A professional electrician can help investigate why your building was hit and prevent further damage by installing the right building lightning protection system.