Help with potentially bonding a metal roof (lightning protection)

jjnr78 · Nov 11, 2013

Morning. I'm on a new build project where I have 3 houses (2 semi-detached, 1 detached) which have these really funky metal roofs. Its a modern design and the cladding literally starts at ground level on one side of the building and wraps it way over to the opposite side of the building (or neighbours in the case of the semis). You can therefore directly touch this stuff. Oh and there will be a couple of wall light fittings installed to it.

The manufacturer (Standing Seam Roof | Roofing Solution | Colorcoat Urban®) and roofing contractor have taken months to get back to me regarding earthing and even then they have been non committal and very woolly. The houses are standard height structures and this metal roof is not completely continuous. Ib guess I'm trying to gauge where this sits with the regulations for lightning protection, which I have never worked on. My thoughts were to test it for extraneous metal work and start bonding where necessary.

If it is a complicated issue I might be best placed to hand it over to a specialist. If that's the case, who knows a competent engineer in the Herts/ N London area?

Thanks

Marvo · Nov 11, 2013

There's a very similar thread you might want to keep an eye on here.

Guest55 · Nov 11, 2013

unless your tinroof houses are the highest buildings in a half mile radius i wouldnt worry too much about lighting strikes.
;-)

benji · Nov 11, 2013

you could try OMEGA lightning protection for some advice they,ve a branch for london area ,or try checking with insurance company

Engineer54 · Nov 11, 2013

As has been stated, that unless these 3 houses are going to be vulnerable to lightning strikes by their location and/or in respect to the situation of other buildings in the vicinity then it's unlikely you'll need to worry about LP systems!!

I did check on the company's web site, and as you say, the information afforded as far as L/Protection is basically useless and looks like it's just a cut and paste job. Strange as TATA is a Southeast Asian company (seems to be trying to hide that fact on the UK web site) and as such should be well versed in LP requirements, seeing as this part of the world has one of the highest annual strike factors in the world!!. It's main Head Office is in Singapore...

GLENNSPARK · Nov 12, 2013

Engineer54 said:
As has been stated, that unless these 3 houses are going to be vulnerable to lightning strikes by their location and/or in respect to the situation of other buildings in the vicinity then it's unlikely you'll need to worry about LP systems!!

I did check on the company's web site, and as you say, the information afforded as far as L/Protection is basically useless and looks like it's just a cut and paste job. Strange as TATA is a Southeast Asian company (seems to be trying to hide that fact on the UK web site) and as such should be well versed in LP requirements, seeing as this part of the world has one of the highest annual strike factors in the world!!. It's main Head Office is in Singapore...