Static spark on top of house!

House Repair Talk

Help Support House Repair Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mhensley

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Hey guys,

I am new to the forum - good to be here.

I have an odd electrical/home question. I have been living in a house for 3 years now. On the very top of the roof, we have noticed a small, blue electrical/static spark that constantly buzzes. When it rains, it does not appear. We do live (somewhat) underneath high tension power lines that could be the source. This is a constant worry and problem. Our main bedroom is on the other side of the spark and causes HORRIBLE tv reception and vibrations in our lamps. We are stumped, worried and confused. Can anyone help? Thanks!
 
power antenna? Lighting rod shorted to something? Interesting.
 
It's hard to see exactly where that spark is but I suspect it is jumping from one piece of metal trim to another. Voltage can be induced into metal objects from high power lines. The first thing I would do is to ground the metal at an end to a ground rod and solder a jumper across where it is arcing.
 
It's hard to see exactly where that spark is but I suspect it is jumping from one piece of metal trim to another. Voltage can be induced into metal objects from high power lines. The first thing I would do is to ground the metal at an end to a ground rod and solder a jumper across where it is arcing.

Will this be safe to do? Will I get shocked?
 
I'm curious as to how close these hi voltage lines are to your house?

I'm sure you know what a transformer is. One coil of energized wire inducing current into another coil and producing AC current on the secondary winding.

I have heard of hi-tension wires running parallel with a fence. The fence has a gate in the middle. Someone opens the gate with one hand and touches the other half of the fence with the other hand and he became a fuse. I don't know if this could really happen, but it's something to think about.
 
I'd be checking your grounds at your electrical panel. I highly doubt this has anything to do with the power lines, but they might be able to send you someone from the power company to rule anything out, and find the root of your problem as a public relations gesture.
 
Thank you for the suggestions! I will try anything at this point. I just don't want my house to catch a far!
 
I'd hate to hear someone yelling..."Far, far, my house is on far!" :p
 
this looks like metal trim on the house. Is there electical anything near this metal anywhere like an outlet or a light where power might energize it.
 
Lets rule some things out first.
Do you have any christmas lights up on the roof eves?
Do you have any light fixtures or spotlights connected under the roof eves?
And do you have vinyl siding or aluminum siding, like a can.
Do you have a fence around the house or a swimming pool?

If you have any of this, it may be a grounding or bonding issue concerning your homes electrical system. This will require a Licenced electrician to scope it out.
If you do not have anything I mentioned, contact your local utility company and they will look at the issue for free....if it is caused by the utility, they need to know.
Please DO NOT do this on your own, If you can see this jump...it is capable of killing you.
Seriously.:hide::hide:
 
Turn off the main breaker to your house. That should confirm if the issue is with a short(nail or screw into power wire) in your home wiring.
 
turn off main power at the meter or breaker box. if the sparking continue it's not a wiring thing. If it stops with out power turn circ. on one at a time until you find the bad one
 
Not true if he has an issue with the main line into the house...shutting down the main breaker will do nothing.
CALL A PROFESSIONAL.
Nuff said.:)
 
Obviously, calling a professional is always the best advice, but I personally believe a homeowner with some common sense could use his breakers as a way to isolate a potential problem with one circuit, provided it was not in his incoming main line.
 
Come on guys, if the problem is on the hot side of the breakers the house is already gone. this will be some kind of induction from the power lines but you need to prove it first by playing with breakers. One part of this flashing is grounded and the other isn't. So after you have proven the house power is not the problem, screw the two pieces together. Do this with main off. If it is a houe wiring problem it will kick a breaker.
So is it true floresent tubes will lite up by themselves under the powerlines
 
Back
Top