MCQUEEN
New member
- Location
- CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA
WE LIVE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, LIGHTNING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND HAD TWO MAJOR STRIKES WITHIN A MONTH. PHONES, TV'S, CEILING FAN, WASHER AND DRYER, CENTRAL AIR, FAX, ETC. BOTH STRIKES WERE TO PINE TREES OVER 50 FEET FROM RESIDENCE, AND STRIKE FOLLOWED TREE ROOTS AND ACTUALLY BROKE UP A LARGE SECTION OF 8 INCH THICK CONCRETE DRIVEWAY, AND RIPPED TELEPHONE JUNCTION BOX ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF HOME FROM EXTERIOR WALL AND TOSSED IT OVER 40 FEET AWAY. MY QUESTION: OUR ANALOG WATER METER IN GROUND APPROXIMATLY 50 FEET FROM STRUCK TREE IS SHOWING WE USED OVER 200,000 GALLONS OF WATER THIS PAST MONTH (IN TEN YEARS OUR MONTHLY USAGE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE THAN 7 OR 8 THOUSAND GALLONS. THERE ARE NO LEAKS AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM WAS CHECKED OK (WATER TO SYSTEM HAS BEEN SHUT OFF FOR PAST 6 MONTHS DUE TO HEAVY RAINS)....CAN A LIGHTNING STRIKE AFFECT A MECHANICAL WATER METER? WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY $900.00 IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER DAMAGES. PS-WE HAD BATTERY BACKUP AND SURGE PROTECTORS, AND THE STRIKE WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO BLOW OUT ELECTRONICS ON NEIGHBORS ON BOTH SIDES OF OUR HOME, AND THERE IS 600 AND 800 FEET DISTANCES TO THOSE HOMES.
