Ok, luthien…
Just remember: Even a whole house surge arrestor is no panacea. Lightning rods (very expensive) will buy you more protection but I have heard of failures there, too.
Lightning is a huge force of nature and, ultimately, if it’s gonna hit then it’s gonna hit.
And as long as you are getting new receptacles ask for “spec grade.” They cost a few dollars more but are built with extra thick plastic and the metal parts on the inside are tougher. Also, tell the electrician to wind the conductors around the screw connectors (on any switch or receptacle) rather than use the “stab lock” connectors. You get a better connection that is less likely to fail over time.
By the way: As long as I am doling out helpful hints, I also recommend a home carbon monoxide detector if you have any appliances (furnace, water heater, fireplace, etc.) that burn fossil fuels. Get one like this:
You will notice that this type mounts on the ceiling instead of being plugged into a wall receptacle. This is important because CO is a lighter than air gas which will accumulate on the ceiling first. CO is a lethal gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. CO is a cumulative poison...small amounts over a long period of time will do as much damage as a large amount taken quickly. I don’t recall how many people die every year in the USA but it is quite a few. Do not be one of them.
Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas and is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries.[15] Exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system and heart. Following poisoning, long-term sequelae often occur. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches and dizziness at concentrations less than 100 ppm. Concentrations as low as 667 ppm can cause up to 50% of the body’s hemoglobin to be converted to carboxy-hemoglobin (HbCO). Carboxy-hemoglobin is very stable and after hemoglobin has been changed to form carboxy-hemoglobin, this change is irreversible. This makes carboxy-hemoglobin ineffective for delivering oxygen, resulting in some body parts (like, say, your brain) not receiving oxygen needed. As a result, exposures of this level can be life-threatening. In the United States, OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels to 35 ppm.
The mechanisms by which carbon monoxide produces toxic effects are not yet fully understood, but hemoglobin, myoglobin, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase are thought to be compromised. Treatment largely consists of administering 100% oxygen or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (I would think that a blood transfusion would also work if administered quickly enough), although the optimum treatment remains controversial. Domestic carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by the use of household carbon monoxide detectors.
The stuff in parentheses and all emphasis was added by me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide
You can get a combo smoke/CO detector so you can take a smoke detector down and replace it with the combo. If you are marginally proficient with a screwdriver and electricity you can do it yourself...otherwise, hire a pro. They are available at most hardware stores. I prefer ones that are hardwired into the electrical system rather than battery powered only. You only need one in the house...put it in the highest location possible.
Hand write on the detector a date five years in the future. CO detectors DO wear out and need to be replaced no less frequently than every five years.
If the alarm goes off, leave the house quickly and call the fire department. Don’t call 911 unless someone has succumbed to the gas (the FD will check you out anyway). Don’t call from the house...call from a cell phone or a neighbor’s house.
End of advice. (See if you ever read anything this useful and valuable from april. Pass the info on to friends because you never know, ya know?)
