Balmore Specialist Contracts Ltd is one of the leading roofing companies in Scotland. Our Glasgow roofers offer a wide range of services, all aimed at providing clients with roofs that are free of damage and protected from the elements. One of our more specialist services is lightning protection, which involves risk assessments and testing, as well as maintenance and installation of lightning conductor and surge protection systems.

This service is crucial to many structures and paramount in health and safety. Carrying out this sort of work also means our roofers are pretty clued up when it comes to all things lightning. Here are our top 10 facts about this natural phenomenon.

1. Lightning Is Caused By an Electrical Discharge of Electrons Moving Very Quickly From One Place to Another

Electrons move so quickly that they 'superheat' the air around them, causing the sky to glow.

2. Approximately 300,000 Lightning Strikes Hit the Ground in Britain Every Year

Of these strikes, around 30% cause severe damage, striking between 30 and 60 people, and killing, on average, three.

3. The Peak Power of a Lightning Stroke is 10^12 Watts (1,000 Giga Watts)

The total energy produced in a thunderstorm is estimated to be enough to power a country as large as the United States for 20 minutes.

4. A Bolt of Lightning Lasts on Average for Around One 10,000th of a Second…

…but could light a 100-Watt light bulb for as long as three months.

5. Lightning is Hotter than the Surface of the Sun

A strike of lightning reaches temperatures of around 30,000�C.

6. Lightning Can Strike the Same Place Twice

If your property has been struck by lightning once, do not assume it will not happen again. The Empire State Building in New York is struck around 100 times a year. Fortunately, it has excellent lightning protection in place to prevent damage.

7. Most Lightning Strikes in the Northern Hemisphere Occur During Summer

8. The Average Length of a Single Lightning Bolt is 2-3 miles

That would reach from Celtic Park to Hampden Park!

9. The Majority of Lightning Occurs in the Storm Cloud Itself

Only around 10% to 20% of lightning strikes ever reach the ground.

10. The average UK Lightning Strike Discharges around 20,000 Amperes

NASA, however, has recorded strikes of over 100,000 amperes.

If you are worried about how you're building will hold up if lightning were to strike, visit our website at http://www.balmore-ltd.co.uk today to find out more information about how our roofers in Glasgow, Roofing Services, lightning protection services an offer protection.

Balmore Specialist Contracts Ltd are leading Glasgow roofers, offering a wide range of lightning protection services. Visit our website - http://www.balmore-ltd.co.uk to find out more.