Does a lightning rod protect against electrical surges?

If you mean surges from lightening bolts, maybe. Lightning rods work best when large communities are using them. If used on many high places, the rods dissipate the static charge in the clouds, and lightening is less frequent.

However, if one puts a lighting rod on top of ones house, and it is the highest point in the area, lighting will be attracted, and there are few conductors that can carry 200,000 amps.

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Thank you.
You saved me a lot of money.

because I was thinking about buying one.

haha.