Your system struck by lightning? What did you learn?


I'm really curious to learn from anyone who has suffered a lightning strike.  Did you use surge suppression? What survived? What did not? Were your neighbors worse or better off?

Anyone pay for the electrical service's monthly surge suppression in the meter?
erik_squires
      While doing TV and Audio repair and rebuilds (Early Seventies), in the Central Florida area, I learned: it's always best to completely unplug anything you value, before the lightning strikes.

       In the Summer, you could set your watch to the daily Thunder Storms (lots of business/lessons of value).

       The only thing I've ever personally lost to a storm, is a microwave, here in Indiana.
I learned: it's always best to completely unplug anything you value, before the lightning strikes.


Very true.  The counterpoint to this is that you can't always be home when these events happen.  If I am home, or know a big storm is coming I turn off my hifi system, but I have too many devices around the house I cannot do this for every time.  Computers, networking infrastructure, TV in the bedroom, Wifi enabled light switches, thermostats, etc.

I take the belt and suspenders approach. Surge suppressor in the panel, and at the devices as well as network surge protectors on either side of the cable modem and I'm about to install a 3' air gap using fiber optic cable between the cable modem and the rest of my home infrastructure.
My boat was struck by lightning, direct hit on my antennae.   Needless to say it fried the radios and other electronics.  Just watched them tow her to a marina to assess damages.  
Oh, and I always unplug when not at home or severe weather predicted.   

Re-upping this since the south is  going to suffer severe storms today and tomorrow.