Historic Beebe-Phillips House In Waterford Receives Donated Repairs

Information via Northeast Lightning Protection LLC

WATERFORD, CT — Last week, Northeast Lightning Protection LLC donated time and materials to repair the lightning protection system of the historic Beebe-Phillips House.

The Beebe-Phillips House is in Waterford, CT and is owned and operated by the Waterford Historical Society. It was built in 1838 and, once it was donated to the Society in 1969, was stripped of all modern updates to bring the house back to how it was in the 1800s. The house was also moved from its original address of 284 Boston Post Rd and brought to the Historical Society at the corner of Avery Lane and Rope Ferry Rd.

The roof had been replaced last year and the lightning protection was unsafely reinstalled, leaving the building vulnerable to damage from lightning strikes. The original lightning protection system is believed to have been installed around the turn of the 20th Century, by an agent of either National Lightning Protection or Dodd and Struthers Lightning Conductor Corporation.

The rudimentary system of diagonally-strung copper cables, grounded at each end, and four lightning rod terminals protected the house. Modern houses are laden with sensitive electronics and metallic pipe systems that need to be considered. Beebe-Phillips House was simple to place in a protected zone and required none of the bonding of a modern home.

During the previous reinstallation, which was not supervised by a LPI Master Designer, a terminal, glass ball, and the original copper fasteners were lost. One of the downed cables was moved to the west-side of the house, eliminating the second path to the ground. The reinstalled cable had sharp bends that a powerful lightning strike could not possibly navigate.

Lightning protection systems must be designed and installed to US Standards; UL 96a, NFPA 780, and LPI 175. Without this trained oversight, the system will not function properly and the property, people, and possessions will still be at risk. Lightning can be 50,000℉ while it is burning the atmosphere, seeking ground. The system installer must take care that the lightning will not leave the cable after it is captured.

Lightning rods do not attract lightning, nor can they repel lightning. They are active when acted upon, much like a gutter on a home will direct rainwater but cannot make it rain or stop it from raining.

Jim Barnard, owner of Northeast Lightning Protection LLC and LPI Certified Master Designer, visited the Waterford Historical Society over the summer and noticed the lightning protection system needed some attention. He contacted the Town of Waterford and the Waterford Historical Society to donate time and materials to save this local landmark.

Mike Maser carried out the repairs. Maser is a LPI Certified Master Installed who has been with NELPs for 22 years. The Beebe-Phillips House is now at 94% protection, as opposed to the previous 50%.

It's important to protect irreplaceable buildings and landmarks. Places like the

Beebe-Philips House are rare and valuable because of the context they provide about history. The major events and figures of an era are not the only things worth remembering; we need to understand the way people lived.

To that end, the Historical Society works hard to ensure the house and its contents are as illuminating and era-appropriate as possible. Barnard sourced authentic vintage matches for the lightning rod terminals and the decorative milk glass balls so the house would be restored to its original state.

Lightning protection systems can easily become compromised by other house work. Lightning rods can be bent out of the way of chimney repairs, cables refixed at angles too severe for the lightning to maneuver, or parts removed entirely. If something is worth protecting, be sure to fully vet the designer and installer of the lightning protection. The state and federal government do not have licenses for lightning protection so anyone can claim to be an expert.

LPI certification is the gold-standard for lightning protection training. Check the Master Designer license number at lightning.org.

The Waterford Historical Society is holding a Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, December 2nd on the Jordan Green. The Jordan Schoolhouse will be open for visitors from 5:30 to 7:30pm with the tree lighting at 6:00pm.