The Rural Voice, 2001-05, Page 30A striking
collector's
item
What do farmers and
ornament collectors have
in common — would you
believe the lightning rod!
For over 100 years, lightning rods
have stood guard over many Ontario
farm buildings, ready to take that
next lightning strike. But for almost
as long as lightning rods have been
around, these guardians have also
been adorned — even if not always
adored.
Installations of lightning rods took
off in the late 1800s when salesmen
scoured the countryside to convince
farmers that they were in need of
lightning protection. While the
protection offered by a properly
installed system is not disputed,
some unscrupulous salesmen in the
early 1900s started to taint the
lightning rod's image. For example,
one old story tells of a salesman
saving on the expense of installing
the heavy copper cables by
substituting rope that was disguised
by pale green paint — a trick not
readily noticeable high up on a barn
roof. As the salesman was long -gone
when an improperly installed system
failed or was discovered, the humble
lightning rod took the blame.
By the 1920s, concerns over
Installers must
be licensed
Installers are licensed with the
Ontario Fire Marshal's office,
which is also responsible for
inspecting installations. David
Horne, Fire Protection Engineer
with the Ontario Fire Marshal's
office can be reached at 1-416-
325-3221.
26 THE RURAL VOICE
Once an essential
protection for every
country barn, lightning rods
have their advocates
today, both as protection,
and as collectors' items.
Photo and story by Larry Drew
This lightning rod and the white milk -glass
ball date from the early 1920s. It still
stands on the pump house at the author's
family farm.
improper installations resulted in the
passage of the Lightning Rods Act
that requires certified installers and
an inspection from the Fire Marshal's
office.
The early salesmen also sold
farmers glass "insulators" to place on
their lightning rods. But according to
the experts these balls were meant
entirely for decoration, and simply
served no other purpose. While some
farmers may have wanted to decorate
their barns with ornaments, some
obviously were convinced that the
"insulators" were a necessity — a
belief that is still held by some today.
Joyce Blyth, a collector who has
bought old and interesting glass balls
from farmers, learned to carry a box
of white ceramic or modern plastic
balls on her travels. That's because
some potential sellers balked at a sale
— including some who insisted the
rods wouldn't work without them —
unless she was able to install new
So, what are the odds
of being struck by lightning?
Lightning strikes every square mile of Ontario an average of 15 to 20
times per year. A single storm traversing Central Ontario may record
over 2500 lightning strikes in just a few hours time.
Lightning may strike twice — to say the least. The CN Tower may take 20
strikes in a single storm. The lightning rods don't attract the lightning, but
rather are placed where lightning is most likely to strike. Because rods don't
attract lightning from a distance, installation requires multiple rods based on
the area of the rooftop. If lightning is going to strike, it's better to hit a rod
and be properly grounded rather than strike the structure or something nearby
where it could cause serious damage. Tin siding or T.V. antennas are NOT
designed to take and ground lightning strikes — strikes that may have over
10 million volts and create temperatures of 30,000 degrees Celsius.0