Don’t Let Your Trees Fall Victim To Lightning
Here in South Carolina we are no stranger to summer storms. These storm systems bring with them plenty of lightning strikes – each of which is capable of severely damaging or even killing the largest of our trees! In fact, the vast majority of lightning struck trees will die and a lightning protection system vastly reduces the chances of your trees being harmed by lightning.
What To Expect When Installing Tree Lightning Protection
On-site Consultation
Prior to installing a lightning protection system, your arborist will survey the area, take soil conductivity measurements as needed, and determine where air terminals (conductive spikes at the terminus of the protection) need to be placed to best protect your trees.
Lightning Protection Installation
Your tree’s lightning protection will be hand installed by our certified arborists. Depending on the size of your tree and the design of the lightning protection system we may use tree climbers or one of our bucket trucks or spider lifts to aid in the installation process.
Why Choose Sox & Freeman
Certified Arborists
At Sox & Freeman we aren’t just a few guys with chainsaws – every one of our crews is led by an ISA-certified arborist. This means you get the expertise that can only come from training and experience, and the peace of mind that any lightning protection systems installed will keep your trees safe.
Long-term Relationships
Sox & Freeman has been in business for 75 years and some of our clients have been with us for three generations. Like the trees we work with, we take a long view of the world and prioritize developing long-term relationships over short-term gain.
An Ongoing Commitment to Training
We don’t rest on our laurels and are always training the next generation of arborists. At Sox & Freeman our non-certified crew members are given the time, training, and resources to become certified arborists via our Arborist Development Plan.
Insured For Peace Of Mind
No experienced arborist will say that their profession is without risk – and we’re as experienced as they come. To that end we safeguard both our crews and your property with industry leading insurance and workers compensation plans.
Tree Doctors - We Keep Trees Healthy
We love Columbia for its amazing tree cover and it is always our goal to preserve as many healthy trees as possible. Whether you just want to ensure your trees are growing well or have one you are concerned about, our arborists will help keep your trees healthy.
Trusted By The Midlands for 75 years!
Ray Marschincko
Unbelievable experience: within 2 days of initial phone call, 50ft+ leaning pine tree removed – including stump. Not even residual sawdust left behind! We HIGHLY recommend Sox & Freeman.
Robert Croissant
So happy I chose Sox and Freeman. These guys were very professional. They called prior to removal date, on day of and they communicated throughout the process. Safety is always a concern when hiring tree services and they were extremely safety conscious.
Adam Pazda
A large tree branch fell on my roof during a thunderstorm. I called Sox & Freeman, and they were at my house in 20 minutes to take a look at the situation. Not only did they remove the branch the same day, but they actually billed me less than the estimate. So, take away message here is that these guys are FAST and HONEST. Blake was my point of contact, and he was very professional and courteous. Highly recommend!
KC Eriksson
These guys are arboreal ninjas, wizards with ropes, philosophers of the urban forest. Seriously good work, great client service, and customer education to boot. I’d have ’em come back again just to watch them work, and learn more from these guys. Bonus: not as expensive as I expected.
WBU 286 Welte
Every aspect of the work completed by Sox and Freeman was professionally done. We are very pleased with their work.
Why should I work with a certified arborist?
At Sox & Freeman our crews always include an ISA-certified arborist. The International Society of Arboriculture sets standards for arboriculture (tree care) and requires training, testing, and continuing education to qualify for and maintain certification.
When you work with a certified arborist you can rest easy knowing that your tree’s lightning protection system will be installed in a manner that won’t harm your tree as it continues to grow, and will offer years of protection.
What does a lightning protection system include?
A lightning protection system consists of air terminals, conductive cabling, mounting hardware, and one or more ground rods. At the top of the tree we mount what is known as an air terminal, a conductive spike that will be struck first by lightning. Larger trees may need multiple air terminals in order to provide protection to the entire crown.
The air terminals are connected to copper conductors which travel the length of the trunk to the ground. At ground level the copper cables attach to ground rods, which are simply buried conductors that provide the lightning with a low resistance path to ground.
In many cases, installing a lightning protection system on the largest tree in an area will provide protection to neighboring trees. Your arborist will be able to tell you which trees will provide the most protection for your yard.
What areas do you service?
We offer professional tree services across the South Carolina Midlands and the surrounding areas, including Blythewood, Cayce, Chapin, Columbia, Irmo, Lexington, and West Columbia.
We are Located at: 3615 Phillips Street, Columbia, SC 29203
Do lightning rods attract lightning?
No, lightning rods do not attract lightning to an area! Instead, they simply provide lightning strikes with a safe, non-destructive route to the ground.
Will lightning kill an unprotected tree?
Certain species of trees are more likely to be struck and killed by lightning than others. Tall tree species like pines, oaks, and poplars are often the most prominent point in the landscape – making them frequent targets of lightning. Species of trees that contain high moisture levels in their wood, like ashes and willows, are also more likely to be struck.
When a tree is struck by lightning it often is killed immediately – as the extremely high heat of the current passing through the wood causes the water within it to flash to a boil and explode.
Even if your tree is not immediately killed by the strike, it will be more susceptible to illness after a strike, and in many cases will be set on a path towards death.
Installing lightning protection for trees is the only way to protect your trees from lightning damage.