I live in a row of small granite houses, the doors all open straight onto the pavement and wandering home the other day when i noticed almost all the other houses have a copper rod and wire arrangement outside the front door. Intrigued i had a look round my house and the only earthy looking thing is a green/yellow wire from the fuse box to the gas meter pipe...The electrics are fairly old (probably 1970's) .... I've seen earth straps from water pipes in others houses but i don't seem to have any either...what are they for? what is the rod for?...