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jeudi 6 juin 2019

Info Post
By Martha White


It is super important to protect your house or structure from electrical surges. Using a grounding rod will protect the building by rerouting any surges away from the building. They used to call these lightning rods because they would route lightning into the ground and away from the structure to keep it from catching on fire. Before you being, you will need to ask the utility company to come out and mark other underground lines to be able to dig in the right spot without fear of electrocution or damaging other important lines.

The first step is to get the right equipment for the job. You may need a post hole digger, shovel, and post driving tool for this job since the rods are usually eight feet long. They are often copper. When you buy one, make sure it is approved material or it will not properly ground your home. This can lead to a very dangerous situation.

The next step is to dig the hole. Avoid rocky areas or any places that the utility company marked for other lines. The spot you pick should be between one and two feet from the building for it to work the best. If it is too close, it can reduce the effectiveness by putting the surge back into the building.

Next, start digging. If you have the post hole digger, you can use it to get a few feet down. These are better than shovels because you do not need a wide hole, but a deep one. If you only have a shovel it will do, but the hole won't be as deep. Either way, you will get a good start and be on your way.

When the hole is dug, add water. This is to help soften the ground so it will be easier to push the pole into the ground. Being by pushing it by hand. You may have to move it around in a circle to help get it through the packed dirt. There will be one end that is pointed and that one should go into the ground. At some point, you won't be able to hand push it in and will need to move to the next step with the tools.

After you have the rod a couple of feet into the ground, start hammering. There will be a point where it just won't go in manually anymore. If you do not have a driver, which is placed over the top of the rod allowing you to easily drive it in, you can put a board over it to make a bigger surface to hit. Keep hammering and driving it until there is just an inch or two sticking above the top of the hole.

At this point, you will need to attach the ground wire. Some might want to solder it, but the best option is to have a copper clamp designed for this job. The end of the ground wire should be exposed. Make sure to give it some slack so if the wire is hit or bumped it won't pop loose from the clamp.

The last step is to fill in the hole. If you have it completely under the ground or exposed by an inch or so, pack the dirt in so it will be protected. Make sure it is low enough that a lawn mower will not hit it with the blades.




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