She's been told that surge protectors don't protect against lightning at all, but I don't think that's necessarily true of ALL surge protectors. She's also been told that a lightning rod won't help (house is surrounded by very tall trees). But it really seems like there ought to be SOMETHING she could do.
Correctly described were Tripplite, Belkin, Monster, etc protectors. Do not claim to protect from typically destructive surges. Read manufacturer specs. No protection claims. Only profit centers.
However, for over 100 years, direct lightning strikes were made irrelevant by properly installed protectors from other and more responsible companies such as Siemens, Intermatic, ABB, General Electric, Leviton, and Square D. A Cutler-Hammer solution sells in Lowes and Home Depot for less than $50.
How many times is that GA town without phone service for four days while they replace their switching computers? Or do Georgia towns disconnect phone service with each approaching storm? Of course not. A CO can suffer 100 surges with each storm. And no damage. They use technology proven over 100 years ago. Direct lightning strikes, without damage even to a protector, are routine.
Notice a difference between a post based in science compared to other who only recited advertising myths. Key to an effective protector is a dedicated wire that connects short (ie 'less than 10 feet') to single point earth ground. This solution works on all wiring - 2010 homes or 1910 wiring. This solution means no changes to any wires (safety grounds) inside. This solution means the earth ground must both meet and exceed 1990 National Electrical code for earthing.
No protector does protection. Not one. Protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate. If energy is connected short (ie 'less than 10 feet' since the expression is that major important) to earth, then energy is not inside hunting for earth via appliances. If energy is permitted inside, then nothing (especially not power strip or UPS protectors) will stop that surge.
Appliances need not be powered to be damaged. Will a millimeters gap in a switch stop what three miles of sky could not? Will 2 centimeter parts inside scam power strip protectors absorb hundreds of thousands of joules? Of course not. If energy is permitted inside, then nothing will stop a destructive connection to earth. A lighting strike way down the street is a direct lightning strike to all appliances inside IF a 'whole house' protector is not earthed.
Lightning rods do not stop surges. A lightning rod connects a direct strike harmlessly to earth outside the building. Then lightning does not use the building as an electrical conductor to earth. Surge protectors do not stop surges. An effective protector connects a direct strike harmlessly to earth outside the building. Then lightning does not use appliances as an electrical conductor to earth.
Effective protectors connect hundreds of thousands of joules to earth. Do virtually nothing if inside. Can make appliance damage easier if adjacent to appliances. Protection is always - did I say no exceptions - always about where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate. Protection is always about what effective lightning rods and protectors connect to. Earth ground. A majority educated only by hearsay and advertising would never know this. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Then, like telco CO all over the world, your mom suffers direct lightning strikes without damage even to the protector.
A solution based in science and over 100 years of well proven experience. Unknown to a majority only educated by advertising. Plug-in protectors are only profit centers not protection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. The superior protector costs about $1 per protected appliance. The superior solution costs tens or 100 times less money. Protection from direct lightning strikes means spending no money on profit centers (power strip protectors) that have a long history of not providing effective protection.
