A recent investigation of electrical system problems attributed to lightning and thunderstorm activity served to remind me that transient voltage surge suppression (TVSS), while now commonly applied to the electrical power systems in buildings, is frequently overlooked for low-voltage systems such as security, fire alarms, and BAS.
In these particular cases, the primary symptoms of the problem were electronic-level damage to low-voltage systems, and attention quickly focused on control and communication circuits running between buildings and from outdoor equipment into the building. Although signal-level TVSS may be needed even inside a facility, these outside circuits present a special risk.