Increasing the distance between tower and building will raise or reduce the susceptibility of damage due to the lightning?

• A. Raise
• B. Reduce
• C. Neither
• D. Unknown

Answer: (B)

When lightning hits a structure, the current seeks a path to ground. If a nearby building is close, a portion of that current can jump the air gap through a side-flash arc, potentially damaging the building and its equipment. Increasing the distance between the tower and the building makes that air gap larger, raising the voltage needed to initiate an arc and making a flashover far less likely. In other words, the farther apart they are, the less susceptible the building is to damage from a lightning-induced side flash.

This is why spacing is a key part of lightning protection design: larger separation reduces the chance of a conductive arc forming between structures, especially when the tower is struck and the current is trying to reach ground. Proper grounding and bonding of both structures further minimizes damage risk, reinforcing the reduction achieved by increased distance.