By Ken Saxe, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, CNE
Senior Technical Consultant
SN Business Solutions, LLP

IT Insights – South Central PA Computer Damage on the Increase

With the recent spring weather fronts coming through our area, sporadic afternoon and evening thunderstorms are on the rise. These storms often spring up quickly with little to no warning. They often leave as quickly as they came but often result in damaged computers, network equipment, and televisions ... yes, televisions. 

How do storms cause such damage?  Is it through direct lightning strikes into a building? No. It is through a thin copper wire.

Many companies use DSL or cable service for their Internet access. This is often cost effective and provides high speed, broadband access for email, Internet and, for some, voice over IP phone systems. To utilize this technology your computer or network is connected via a thin copper wire outside of your building, down the street, across the highway, through the valleys, to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). If lightning strikes anywhere near that copper wire, your computers or networking equipment are at risk and can become damaged in a flash of light. Often times modems, routers, switches, network adapters, and even motherboards can be damaged.

LIGHTNING FACTS*   - Lightning strikes the Earth 1,800 times at any moment.   - The Earth has 100 lightning strikes per second - 3.6 trillion per year!   - The Earth has 2,000 thunderstorms at any one time! *Source: NASA.gov

Similar damage can occur to your television. That black cable TV cable screwed into the back on your television exits your home, goes up the telephone pole, through the neighborhood back to your cable provider. What if there is a lightning strike nearby? The same thing can happen. A harmful lightning current can go right through that cable, into your television, destroying it or causing hundreds of dollars in repairs.

Lightning current can travel for long distances on overhead power lines, or in underground pipes and cables.  Someone who experiences damage may not even recognize that it coincided with a lightning strike some distance away.

That's okay. That's what warranties are for, right? Wrong. Most standard warranties do not cover damage caused by lightning or "acts of nature."

What can you do? At home or at a small business during the thunderstorm season it is a good idea to unplug the Internet cable or phone line going to your cable modem or DSL modem when it is not in use. As well, remove the cable TV cables from the back of your televisions or wall jacks if you will be out of town or at work and expect storms that day. In addition, completely unplugging the electrical power cables from computer equipment is very helpful. Surge protectors are no match for a lightning strike. Just because your PC is powered off will not protect it if your home experiences a nearby lightning strike.

Larger businesses may not have the flexibility to unplug the Internet cable or phone line going to their cable modem or DSL modem during the day. However, in the evenings it may be feasible if you do not have remote users that connect in from home, or if your company hosts their own email.

This season whether you are responsible for a network of 100 workstations or 1 home PC you will want to take proactive steps to protect your investment... and remember to take your umbrella today. You may just need it!

If you need assistance with the setup and safety of your valuable hardware, you may contact Ken Saxe, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, CNE at 717-757-6999 or 800-745-8233 or email him by using the form below.

Save article

Email Firm

Email to a Friend