Protecting your home or shed from electrical surges and lightning strikes is important. Using a grounding rod is needed for this to work properly. It is easy to install, though it does take a bit of effort and some special tools. There may be specific rules in your area on how and where they need to be installed, so be sure to check with a local utility company. It is also very important to have them come out and mark where other lines are to avoid electrocution or damaging other lines.
The first step is to get the right equipment for the job. You may need a post hole digger, shovel, and post driving tool for this job since the rods are usually eight feet long. They are often copper. When you buy one, make sure it is approved material or it will not properly ground your home. This can lead to a very dangerous situation.
Pick your spot first by making sure you are not in a rocky area. Also, be at least a foot to two feet away from the building to avoid rerouting the surge back into the foundation. Finally, you need to dig on the side of the house with the electrical panel.
Once you have the spot selected, begin digging with the post hole digger. If you do not have one, a shovel will do the job just fine. You do not need to dig a wide hole, just as deep as you can.
After you reach as far as you can go, add some water to the hole. You don't have to fill the hole, just make it moist so you can begin pushing the rod in by hand. The water will help with this process. As you go deeper with the pole, add more water to help out. You can move the pole back and forth with the pointed end in the ground to make it easier. Once you reach the point it won't go deeper by hand, grab another tool.
Once it is a few feet in the ground, grab the other tools to get it to go the rest of the way. The best is a pile driver. This is designed to fit over the pole and allow you to push it in with less effort by lifting and slamming it back down onto the pole. If you do not have one, you might use a two by four to make the surface easier to hit with a hammer or rubber mallet. Hammer the pole until it is either a couple of inches above or level with the hole.
Now you want to attach a ground wire. This will also be attached to your electrical panel, so be sure to handle with care. Some are shielded wires, so you will need to cut the end and expose the copper wire. Use a special clamp to connect to the pole. Make sure there is enough slack in the wire that bumping it will not disconnect it from the rod. You may want to dig a small trench to bury the wire it if is in an area that will be mowed and away from the house a few feet.
Finally, fill in the hole. If the rules require the pole to be completely underground, finish hammering it down and fill it in. In any case, it is best to keep it low enough that a lawn mower blade will not hit is. If you placed it a couple of feet from the building, you might consider burying the wire until it comes up next to the building to protect it from weed eaters and lawn mowers.
The first step is to get the right equipment for the job. You may need a post hole digger, shovel, and post driving tool for this job since the rods are usually eight feet long. They are often copper. When you buy one, make sure it is approved material or it will not properly ground your home. This can lead to a very dangerous situation.
Pick your spot first by making sure you are not in a rocky area. Also, be at least a foot to two feet away from the building to avoid rerouting the surge back into the foundation. Finally, you need to dig on the side of the house with the electrical panel.
Once you have the spot selected, begin digging with the post hole digger. If you do not have one, a shovel will do the job just fine. You do not need to dig a wide hole, just as deep as you can.
After you reach as far as you can go, add some water to the hole. You don't have to fill the hole, just make it moist so you can begin pushing the rod in by hand. The water will help with this process. As you go deeper with the pole, add more water to help out. You can move the pole back and forth with the pointed end in the ground to make it easier. Once you reach the point it won't go deeper by hand, grab another tool.
Once it is a few feet in the ground, grab the other tools to get it to go the rest of the way. The best is a pile driver. This is designed to fit over the pole and allow you to push it in with less effort by lifting and slamming it back down onto the pole. If you do not have one, you might use a two by four to make the surface easier to hit with a hammer or rubber mallet. Hammer the pole until it is either a couple of inches above or level with the hole.
Now you want to attach a ground wire. This will also be attached to your electrical panel, so be sure to handle with care. Some are shielded wires, so you will need to cut the end and expose the copper wire. Use a special clamp to connect to the pole. Make sure there is enough slack in the wire that bumping it will not disconnect it from the rod. You may want to dig a small trench to bury the wire it if is in an area that will be mowed and away from the house a few feet.
Finally, fill in the hole. If the rules require the pole to be completely underground, finish hammering it down and fill it in. In any case, it is best to keep it low enough that a lawn mower blade will not hit is. If you placed it a couple of feet from the building, you might consider burying the wire until it comes up next to the building to protect it from weed eaters and lawn mowers.
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