Fact: While a house is the safest place you can be during a storm, just going inside isn't enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors or metal window frames. Don't stand near a window to watch the lightning .
Should you close blinds during thunderstorm?
If a thunderstorm is headed your way, bring in any outdoor furniture that could be blown around or damaged by hail, close and shutter windows (or close blinds and drapes) and unplug appliances and computers to protect them from power surges that could be caused by lightning.
Can I leave my window open during a thunderstorm?
During a lightning storm there are several tips you can follow to stay safe: ... Close windows and doors: Stay away from open windows, doors and garage doors as the lightning can travel through the opening to electrocute you . It's not safe to watch a lightning storm from a porch or open garage door.
Can you get hit by lightning inside your house?
Even though your home is a safe shelter during a lightning storm, you may still be at risk. About one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors . Here are some tips to keep safe and reduce your risk of being struck by lightning while indoors.
Should you open your windows during a storm?
Experts and wind scientists agree that merely opening windows will not alleviate or equalize pressure in a storm . Homes are damaged and destroyed by violent winds, therefore windows should be kept shut to keep more debris from entering your home.
Can I use the toilet during a thunderstorm?
No. Lightning can travel through plumbing. It is best to avoid all water during a lightning storm.
What is the 30 30 rule for lightning?
After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors . Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. If you are caught in an open area, act quickly to find adequate shelter.
Where is the safest place to be during a lightning storm?
A car or other enclosed metal structure is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm. Failing that, a ditch, trench or group of shrubs of uniform height is better than nothing. Keep away from boundary areas between dissimilar terrain (water and land; rock and earth; trees and fields).
How do you stop lightning from hitting your house?
- Avoid plumbing altogether. No showers, baths, doing dishes or washing your hands. ...
- Avoid plumbing altogether. ...
- Don't touch electronics. ...
- Don't touch electronics. ...
- Stay away from windows and doors. ...
- Stay away from windows and doors. ...
- Close your blinds. ...
- Close your blinds.
What should you not do during lightning?
Do NOT bathe, shower, wash dishes , or have any other contact with water during a thunderstorm because lightning can travel through a building's plumbing. Do NOT use your computers, laptops, game systems, washers, dryers, stoves, or anything connected to an electrical outlet.
What wind speed blows out windows?
Standard residential windows have DP values between 15 and 50. A DP 15 window can reasonably be expected to sustain winds of roughly 77 mph before shattering. A DP 50 window is expected to sustain winds up to 173 mph.
Should you crack your windows during a tornado?
You should open the windows in your house during a tornado or hurricane? Answer: MYTH! ... Cracking the windows could even cause a house to explode . A better defense is covering openings with reinforced plywood, so air flows over (not into) the house.
Should you leave windows open in a cyclone?
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety recommends that you close all interior doors and all windows for major wind storms including hurricanes . That's because wind that enters a home through open windows creates strong upward pressure on the home's roof.
Has anyone died from showering during thunderstorm?
The organization also says that lightning can travel through plumbing. If the lightning strikes a water pipe, the electricity can move along the pipes and cause electrocution. To date, it's unknown if anyone has ever died by showering during a thunderstorm .
Is it safe to watch TV during a thunderstorm?
It isn't dangerous to watch TV during a thunderstorm , but the electronics in a TV set are vulnerable. If you have to make a telephone call, use a mobile phone detached from its cable rather than a landline device. Over-voltages resulting from a lightning strike may follow electrical conductors into the handset.
Can I charge my phone during a thunderstorm?
While it is safe to use a cellphone (if it's not plugged into a wall charger, that is) during a thunderstorm, it is not safe to use your landline. Lightning can travel through the phone lines—and if it does, you could be electrocuted.
