Is a lightning rod still needed?

So far, I also thought it was nonsense for a single-family house. Until early this week, a severe thunderstorm rolled in, and a lightning strike hit the crane at the neighboring construction site. This crane is about 6 meters from our house and is, of course, somewhat higher.

Since lightning does not strike the highest point but the place with the lowest electrical resistance, it probably would not have struck your house.

That's how the lightning rod works, after all.

If there had been a 30m tall poplar tree next to the crane, the lightning would still have struck the crane.

We build in reinforced concrete and it feels like there is so much steel in it that the electricity should actually be safely conducted away in the event of a direct strike?!

Think about why it's called a lightning down conductor, and not a lightning in conductor.

To the question "do we need a lightning rod," one must respond with the counter-question "do you play the lottery."

As the colleague already said, lightning seeks the easiest path, not the shortest. This path is also greatly influenced by humidity and air pressure, meaning one could figuratively say that the lightning is somewhat guided, and whether your house is the saving shore or not is decided by chance. Hence the question about the lottery.

I was advised like this: are you afraid of a lightning strike? Then put a rod on it. Otherwise, leave it. If you build quite high (category high-rise), then the probability rises a bit again.

Lightning conductor should be installed where it is required.

That is not the question, that is already regulation.

Alright then. You don't need one, unless one is required.