Hurricane Damage Turned Upgrade: Crescent Beach Club Gets a Lightning Protection Overhaul

After Hurricane Milton swept through Florida’s coast, Clearwater’s Crescent Beach Club condominiums were left with more than wind and water damage—their trusted lightning protection system had taken a serious hit.

We offered free inspections for damaged lightning protection systems post-storm, and Heather from Crescent Beach management reached out. Upon arrival, we found both 20-foot masts—once steadfast guardians of the buildings—toppled and bent beyond recognition, with their heads (the important part) nowhere to be found. One mast’s anchors had even ripped right out of the concrete. The conductors? Torn up and tossed across the rooftop. After 20 years of reliable service, their system had finally met its match.

But rather than replace what was lost, we saw an opportunity to rebuild better

The original manufacturer had since developed a newer mast, engineered to withstand even greater wind forces. Same $10 million warranty, but with next-level durability. The client didn’t hesitate. Once the upgraded masts arrived, we realized just how tough these beasts really were. Heavy, solid, and clearly built for the long haul.

There was just one problem: these weren’t going up by hand.

Calling in a crane was overkill (and over budget), so we turned to our network. A fellow industry pro offered a game-changing suggestion—use a tugger. Not only did it work flawlessly, but we liked it so much we bought one the very next day. 

With the masts securely on the roof, we made sure the heads would never spin off again. Loctite did the trick there. To anchor them down? We drilled through the block wall with 1/2-inch stainless steel all-thread, securing each side with oversized washers and lock washers—built to last, storm after storm.

We wrapped it all up by replacing the rooftop conductor, confirming ground resistance readings, and registering the system for full warranty coverage. What started as an emergency turned into a serious upgrade—and we couldn’t be prouder of the outcome. – Chuck Voight /General Manager