It is important to have your house or permanent structure properly grounded if you have electricity in the building. This can help prevent a fire should lightning strike or some other electrical surge be sent towards the building. Installing a grounding rod properly is very important but also much easier than you might think. There are some regulations in areas on what the requirements are, so be sure to check and see what the rules are in your area. You will also want to ask your utility company to mark where any underground lines are so you avoid hitting them when installing the rod.
First, you need to gather the equipment needed. This will include a shovel or post hole digger, a driving tool, hammer or mallet, and the proper type of rod. They are eight feet long and usually made of copper. Ask your hardware store to point you to the right type of rods for the job. Using the wrong material will not protect your home from a surge.
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.
With the spot selected you can begin to dig. If you have a post hole digger, you can dig a couple of feet down easily. Using a shovel is fine, but you do not need to dig a wide hole. Dig the hole as deep as you can before moving to the next step.
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.
After you have the rod a couple of feet into the ground, start hammering. There will be a point where it just won't go in manually anymore. If you do not have a driver, which is placed over the top of the rod allowing you to easily drive it in, you can put a board over it to make a bigger surface to hit. Keep hammering and driving it until there is just an inch or two sticking above the top of the hole.
Attach the ground wire. It is best to use the special ground clamp that usually comes with the pole. Make sure the end of the ground wire is exposed if it is a shielded wire. Give it enough slack from the electrical panel so it will not come loose if the pole or wire is hit or bumped.
Fill in the hole and finish the job. Some areas require the rod to be completely underground and others don't have a rule. It is best to keep it low enough that the lawn mower won't hit it. If it is in an area that will be mowed, it is a good idea to bury the connecting wire as well as the rod completely under the ground.
First, you need to gather the equipment needed. This will include a shovel or post hole digger, a driving tool, hammer or mallet, and the proper type of rod. They are eight feet long and usually made of copper. Ask your hardware store to point you to the right type of rods for the job. Using the wrong material will not protect your home from a surge.
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.
With the spot selected you can begin to dig. If you have a post hole digger, you can dig a couple of feet down easily. Using a shovel is fine, but you do not need to dig a wide hole. Dig the hole as deep as you can before moving to the next step.
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.
After you have the rod a couple of feet into the ground, start hammering. There will be a point where it just won't go in manually anymore. If you do not have a driver, which is placed over the top of the rod allowing you to easily drive it in, you can put a board over it to make a bigger surface to hit. Keep hammering and driving it until there is just an inch or two sticking above the top of the hole.
Attach the ground wire. It is best to use the special ground clamp that usually comes with the pole. Make sure the end of the ground wire is exposed if it is a shielded wire. Give it enough slack from the electrical panel so it will not come loose if the pole or wire is hit or bumped.
Fill in the hole and finish the job. Some areas require the rod to be completely underground and others don't have a rule. It is best to keep it low enough that the lawn mower won't hit it. If it is in an area that will be mowed, it is a good idea to bury the connecting wire as well as the rod completely under the ground.
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