Lightening strike!!!!

[alreadygone]

Living out in the country our only internet options are extremely slow dialup, or what we’re currently using, “Hughes Net” satellite service. Don’t care for it, overpriced and much slower than advertised. BUT that’s another rant. Earlier this morning it was raining (this affects satellite signal) so I had no internet service and was browsing my stored in memory pictures when lightning struck a huge sweet locust in our back yard! Computer screen flashed like an old camera bulb, and colors went totally berserk. Quickly turned everything off (yea, I know fastening the barn door after). Didn’t know tree was damaged until a few minutes later when I went to back door to see how hard it was actually raining. It has a split approx 6 ft above ground running up side of tree for approx 10 ft. Have lived here over 30 years, this was a big, beautiful shade tree even then. Hope to not loose it. Anyone have experience with this? Will it die, be structurally unsound and need to be removed? I know insurance will pay for removal, but will they pay for it’s value to the property?

Obviously, I’ve turned computer back on, seems to be working better than before and colors are correct and sharp. Only damage we’ve found in house so far is blown heating element in bottom of Bunn coffee maker.

Bob

 

[Pablo]

Quote:
Only damage we’ve found in house so far is blown heating element in bottom of Bunn coffee maker.

 

[Johnny]

If you have that kind of insurance, they might pay for a tree replacement, but I doubt they will pay for it's value to your property.

Your lucky it did not damage your computer.

I could live without my tree and computer, but I could not live without my BUNN. Mine runs almost 24/7 around here.

 

[Trav]

From what i understand the wound needs to covered,i believe they use some sort of tar for this.Call a tree surgeon he will know how bad the tree is damaged and what can be done to save it.When mine got hit they told me just leaving the tree hemorrhaging is the worst thing for it.

 

[Al]

I wouldn't claim it. This may sound lame but insurances don't like to cover people who make claims. Certainly one claim won't hurt you but I don't think I would use a claim for this. Every 2 or three years I spend 1000 bucks to remove a tree or get others trimmed on a 1/2 acre property. Its part of a normal lot maintenance for a house. Just an opinion here.

 

[alreadygone]

Pablo, "blown" may have been too strong a word, lets go with "non-working.

Johnny, never been a coffee addict. Allways liked a couple cups in the morning only. Since quitting smoking, can take it or leave it entirely. The wife still drinks all day long, but she's now doing decaf.

Trav, think there's a tree doctor in nearby town. Will contact first of week.

Al, Had a claim approx 4 years ago when burgularized and 13 firearms, laptop, son's game deal were stolen, rates didn't go up till this year. Don't really expect to file, as I have a $1,00. deduct. Just wanted opinions of options.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[globey]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
If you have that kind of insurance, they might pay for a tree replacement, but I doubt they will pay for it's value to your property.

Your lucky it did not damage your computer.



Agreed. We took a lightning strike a couple weeks ago and I had to replace my mother board.

 

[Fester]

Yup seal the wound and it may survive.

Last week I had a near hit flash and sound all at once, I lost the onboard network cards on two computers and can no longer receive FM and AM signals on the stereo, yet the surround works and all DVD inputs work.

 

[Win]

If there was that much heat inside the tree, it will probably die.

However, a big pine tree in our yard took a "small" strike last summer, and it is still alive. It didn't split the tree, but left a good stripe up and down the tree as far up as I can see.

The car that was parked in the driveway under the tree fared a whole lot worse.

 

[Barkleymut]

As a former owner of a landscape company I will give you this advice. Do not try and seal it, do not touch it, and be glad it didn't fall on your house. It sounds like this is a great tree that you really want to save, and as was mentioned before if too much heat was created then the tree probably is toast. You really have to contact an arborist on Monday morning. Anyone without a true aroborist degree is [censored] in the wind. Get someone who really, really knows what they are talking about to get over there and inspect it. I have seen some trees that I thought were toast end up fine and others that appeared fine would die within the next 30 days. That being said my mom had a small (30 ft tall) oak tree that took a very small strike in August. Within 2 or 3 days all of the leaves fell off. I told her to wait it out. Next spring there were buds on it and it is still alive 7-8 years later. Good luck.

 

[andyd]

My yard has several wild locusts in it. They are one tough tree I wouldn't seal it, but maybe binding up the split with some sorta clamps you can remove before they grow in would help. I meditate a good long while before removing a tree, they dont grow back very fast.

 

[oilyriser]

Got a pic of the split tree?

 

[ryansride2017]

I thought everyone had their computers connected to surge protectors? Not to hijack the thread, but I just bought a new computer. Do certain types of surge protectors work best?

 

[alreadygone]

These are not a wild locust (at least not in this area). Have heard it called a "sugar" or "sweet" locust, cover up in beautiful white clusters of flowers every spring, they have small, sharp, extremely painful thorns when young that seem to dissapear as trees get mature (12 inch dia. +), fast growing, tend to sprout anywhere root system reaches. In spite of their few negatives, they make excellent fast growing shade, and this one is perfectly located to shade my rear patio and back of house.

Yes have a pic, but posting here is such a P.I.A. I've about quit.

Computer is on a surge protector, not sure view screen is though. If you get a strong enough hit, there's not a device on the market that'll save you.

Bob

 

[Fester]

Originally Posted By: ryansride2017
I thought everyone had their computers connected to surge protectors? Not to hijack the thread, but I just bought a new computer. Do certain types of surge protectors work best?
I have surge protectors in the power strip, and in the power meter, dint help at all with what was more of an emp spike, surge protectors only shunt the high voltage spike to ground, that would require it to come in through the main power lines and through the power strip for it to do its job. In my case I'm convinced it was an emp through the air that induced some kind of spike through the cat5 cable. Perhaps if I had wireless network with no cable attached, maybe then it wouldn't have happened.

 

[andyd]

These are not a wild locust (at least not in this area). Have heard it called a "sugar" or "sweet" locust, cover up in beautiful white clusters of flowers every spring, they have small, sharp, extremely painful thorns when young that seem to dissapear as trees get mature (12 inch dia. +), fast growing, tend to sprout anywhere root system reaches. In spite of their few negatives, they make excellent fast growing shade, and this one is perfectly located to shade my rear patio and back of house.

Sounds 'zactly like my weed trees. Locust trees make great fire wood, fence posts and trunnels, the big pegs that hold together post and beam construction. The wood is very resistant to rot and pretty hard. The wood is greenish in color. The locust is a legume.
There are cultivated varieties. Thornless locusts are used in Boston because they are very hardy and smog resistant.

 

[Barkleymut]

Originally Posted By: alreadygone
These are not a wild locust (at least not in this area). Have heard it called a "sugar" or "sweet" locust, cover up in beautiful white clusters of flowers every spring, they have small, sharp, extremely painful thorns when young that seem to dissapear as trees get mature (12 inch dia. +), fast growing, tend to sprout anywhere root system reaches. In spite of their few negatives, they make excellent fast growing shade, and this one is perfectly located to shade my rear patio and back of house.

Yes have a pic, but posting here is such a P.I.A. I've about quit.

Computer is on a surge protector, not sure view screen is though. If you get a strong enough hit, there's not a device on the market that'll save you.

Bob


This one will protect unless the lightning comes thru the window and hits the computer.... http://www.realpowerprotection.com/usa/index.php
you can find them on ebay for 20 bucks used

 

[alreadygone]

Native ones here are called "black" locust, and have thorns on all parts of tree, even trunk that can approach 3 inches and quite often even have stickers on the thorns themselves! Wicked looking devils. Exactly like the ones portrayed in religious pics of Jesus with the crown of thorns. Do make excellent posts though.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Try some spray automotive undercoating on the tree.