Grounding the roof of a metal tile with your own hands -

Metal-coated roofs were used in construction for a long time; earlier, ordinary galvanized steel sheets connected by the roller method were used as the roofing material. Already at that time, people noticed that such structures accumulate static electricity, and during thunderstorms they cause fires, leading to the disappearance of entire settlements. With the advent of the modern analogue of metal roofing metal, some homeowners have not become more serious about grounding, hoping for the traditional Russian "maybe." In this article we will describe how to ground the metal-coated roof with your own hands in order to protect yourself from electric shock and fire.

The need for grounding

If we consider this issue from the standpoint of theoretical electrical engineering, metal tile roofs are a capacitor that has the ability to accumulate static electricity. In addition, as a waterproofing under the metal roof of the part, use roofing sheets or roofing felt, which are dielectrics and insulate metal roofing from the ground. As a result of the combination of these factors, the surface of the skates concentrates on itself an electrical charge of different strength, which leads to the following consequences:

1. Fire. If other metal elements are used in the construction of the house, an electric arc of high temperature arises between them and the roof of the metal tile. This effect leads to the appearance of a spark, which is enough to start a fire.
2. Injuries. If a person standing on the ground touches a metal tile roof that has no ground connection, an electrical circuit is created for discharge. Depending on the amount of accumulated current, this leads to unpleasant sensations, injuries or even death.
3. Malfunctions of electrical appliances. The electric charge that accumulates the roof with a metal tile coating affects the operation of electrical appliances in the house. Depending on the strength of the charge, they can act up or fail.

Important! According to experienced craftsmen, it is definitely necessary to make grounding at the roof, if it is covered with metal tile, all the more you can do this task with your own hands without large financial investments. According to modern rules for laying electricity grids, it is recommended to use a three-core cable for laying wiring, one of the wires of which is connected to ground, however, the main networks often do not meet these standards, therefore it is necessary to ground the metal roof separately.

Types of grounding

Roof grounding is the process of reducing the contact voltage to safe for humans and animals indicators by connecting the surface of the metal tile to the ground. According to building codes, the metal roof must be grounded so that a static charge, accumulated from friction of dust particles on the surface of the roofing material or arising during a thunderstorm, does not harm the health and life of the household or does not provoke a fire. There are the following types of grounding:

• Natural. Natural grounding is called the metal elements of the house structure, which are in the ground and are suitable to divert electrical charge. These include water pipelines, wells, reinforced concrete foundation. However, now, when modern polymeric materials are used for communication, natural grounding is practically not used, so it is necessary to make an artificial one.
• Artificial. Artificial grounding of the roof is the process of purposeful, deliberate connection of the surface of a metal tile with the ground in order to discharge static voltage. The use of a grounding device makes the use of a metal-coated roof safer for humans and against fire.

Note! In order to concentrate a significant charge on the roof of a metal tile, not necessarily the atmospheric electricity that occurs in the atmosphere during a thunderstorm, the friction of dust particles on the surface of the roofing material in dry weather gives even a larger charge. Voltage requires discharging, so an artificial earth must be made for a metal roof.

The design of the grounding device

So that when a person comes into contact with a metal roof, an electrical circuit leading to discharge does not occur, use special grounding devices that purposefully divert electrical current from the roof surface to the ground. You can make such a device with your own hands from copper wire and a grounding electrode. To do this, use materials that conduct current, but not prone to corrosion and resistant to high temperature that occurs at the time of discharge. The grounding device consists of the following elements:

1. Ground conductor. Этот элемент заземляющего устройства соединяет точку заземления, то есть поверхность крыши из металлочерепицы, и заземлитель, находящийся в земле. Проводник можно сделать из стальной или медной проволоки сечением не менее 4 мм2. Часто в качестве этого элемента заземляющего устройства используется электрический провод, очищенный от изоляции.
2. Grounding conductor. This element of the grounding device is a pin, pipe or corner of steel or copper with a section of 2 cm2 and a length of 1.5-2 m, which are buried in the ground to a depth of 0.5 m. They are connected to the grounding conductor and serve to discharge electric charge.

Note that the grounding quality is characterized by the strength of the charge that it is capable of removing from the roof surface. To increase the efficiency of the device, they increase the number of earthing or increase the conductivity of the soil with the help of salt solution. To make the use of a grounding device safe, it is placed on the side of the house opposite the entrance, at a maximum distance from the foundation.

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