Now serving the Nation’s Capital, ATS offers Washington, D.C. lightning protection services such as inspection, installation, and repair.
Defense Against the Elements
Lightning causes an average of $108 million in damages to businesses in the United States every year. Damage from lightning can often be averted by a compliant lightning protection system.
A combination of air terminals (also known as lightning rods), conductor cable, and ground rods direct the lightning into the ground along a highly conductive path of least resistance, where it harmlessly dissipates; this process minimizes primary structural and electrical damage from the force of the strike. Surge protectors, meanwhile, help protect equipment inside the property from taking secondary electrical damage from the extreme charge lightning brings.
Many companies implement a lightning protection system to minimize the costly damage caused by nature’s most common deadly weather event. Applied Technical Services supports clients in the Washington, D.C. area through our lightning protection services: we offer observations of the currently installed system to document compliance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), identification and repair of damaged components, installation of components on newly installed rooftop equipment, and/or design and installation of new systems.
Inspection
By performing annual visual inspections on clients’ lightning protection systems, ATS can identify damaged or missing components and ensure that the system remains functional as originally designed. Depending on the condition of certain components or the overall system, our engineering consultants may recommend a more frequent inspection schedule — especially going into storm season.
Repair
As do all pieces of equipment, lightning protection systems require maintenance. By repairing issues as they arise, ATS can help ensure that the system remains in compliance with the NFPA 780 and UL 96A requirements for lightning protection systems.
If we find deficiencies or damaged components during our inspection, we will notify clients of the issues and recommend repair; our consulting engineers can perform small repairs, such as tightening loose connections, during the same visit. Should we find more significant issues, ATS would be pleased to provide a proposal for the design and implementation of necessary repairs.
Installation
Companies may need our installation services for a variety of reasons. If their lightning protection system has reached the end of its useful service life, is damaged beyond cost-effective repair, or must be removed to facilitate a roof replacement project, ATS can assist our clients by removing existing rooftop components. In the case of rooftop repairs, we reinstall serviceable components once renovations are complete. For a failing system, our consulting engineers will properly design and implement a replacement lightning protection system.
Whether a few components on a small structure or a sprawling system across a large property, our consulting engineers can design and install an effective lightning protection system for our clients in the D.C. area.
Industry Standards
ATS follows these nationally recognized standards on lightning protection systems when serving our clients:
- UL 96A
- NFPA 780
About Applied Technical Services
Since 1967, ATS has provided engineering consulting, inspection, and testing services of peerless quality. We have expanded our client base over the 50+ years since our founding to include businesses that operate around the globe and within a wide variety of industries. Though companies in every industry could benefit from implementing a lightning protection system and using ATS’ supporting services, these may find it more important than others:
- Telecommunications
- Power Generation
- Oil & Gas
- Military
- Manufacturing
- Chemical
- Automotive
ATS and Quality Assurance
ATS has dedicated itself to the pursuit of quality. By following our registered ISO 9001:2015 quality management system, we consistently improve the customer experience and the quality of our services. Observing the guiding principles outlined in the internationally recognized standard for quality management practices and applying them to the context of our business allows us to provide clients with the following:
- Responsive inspectors and technicians
- Quick turnarounds
- Accurate and detailed reporting
If your D.C. based company needs supporting services for your lightning protection system, look no further than ATS — we take a closer look.
