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After two houses were struck by lightning in one night in Eagle’s Point, resident Elizabeth Cullard went looking for reasons for the odd coincidence.
What she found scared her and put her on alert.
“The issue isn’t the lightning per say, but what we discovered after the fact,” said Cullard. “We found that there is tubing used in these houses called WardFlex … it’s used to bring in propane, but it also has the tendency to attract lightning.”
Cullard talked to several of her neighbors, and they contacted attorneys and the Lightning Institute. She learned a class action lawsuit had been filed against the manufacturers of several types of tubing, known as corrugated stainless steel tubing, which has been associated with attracting lightning. This tubing has been used for years and is estimated to be installed in 11,000 houses in Sussex County, according to the Lightning Institute.
The manufacturers of the products, who did not admit liability in settling the class action suit, say the tubing may attract lightning if not properly installed by a licensed contractor.
“I feel obligated to let people know,” said Cullard. “This tubing is used with some frequency. We are assuming it’s not being placed into homes anymore…but no one is really sure.”
To identify the tubing, residents can check in the attic above the garage. The tubing has a yellow plastic jacket over the pipe coming from the exterior gas meter. It leads into a gas manifold with four or more yellow plastic-covered pipes that supply gas to the furnace, hot water heater, stove, dryer or other gas appliances.
The pipe will be stamped with the manufacturer’s name, such as Wardflex, by Ward Manufacturing.
The homes in Eagle’s Point sustained up to $200,000 in damages from the lightning strikes. Cullard said she wants people to know how to protect themselves either by removing the piping or by installing a lightning protection system.
Cullard and her neighbors may join the class action suit, but she said she just wants other people to check their homes and make sure they are safe.
For more information about the problem, visit www.pddocs.com/csst
While claims in the original class action suit had to be filed by Sept. 5, Cullard said additional claims might be considered.
“We’re in jeopardy here,” said Cullard. “Every time they announce there is going to be a thunderstorm, everyone panics.”
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