Nov 05, 2020
Learn how lightning can be just as dangerous indoors as it is outside.
Inclement weather is all around us. As the seasons change, threats of hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires threaten various regions across the country. While all of these natural weather disasters can be life threatening, there is one in particular you should be on the lookout for while you’re at home. Severe thunderstorms are common across the U.S. but the impact they have in your home can be just as bad as outside.
According to the ‘National Weather Service’, lightning strikes are a common occurrence but can be just as harmful for people inside their home as it is outside. More than 1,000 people get struck by lightning every year in the U.S with at least 100 of them dying as a result of the strike. This information, provided by a ‘Science.HowStuffWorks.com' article also states “lightning can reach you indoors if you’re in contact with telephone lines or plumbing.”
When lightning strikes near your home (or on top of your home) the charge can travel through grounded phone lines and into your house. Meaning if you’re holding a landline phone at the time, you can become a conductor and take on that charge. Lightning strikes can also send electrical charges through plumbing as well. So if you’re taking a shower during a thunderstorm be weary, because that same charge can travel through metal pipes and reach you or a family member.
Although lightning in any form can be dangerous there are some things you can do to keep you and your family safe. With the help of the ‘National Oceanic and Atmospheric Assocation’ (NOAA), Here is a list of tips to keep in mind during a thunderstorm:
*For a complete list of lightning tips click here
One last thing to keep in mind (if you can) is to be aware of what materials were used in the construction of your house. Most homes use ‘PVC’ piping indoors when it comes to plumbing. However, this mostly depends on where you live. Checking with a contractor or home maintenance expert can help you learn how your house is setup to deal with severe weather. For more information on indoor lightning strikes as well as other potential natural disasters you can check out weather.gov.