Thunderstorms have the ability to damage electrical equipment in your home, which can be very costly especially if you’re a tenant. During heavy storms where lightning strikes, power surges can occur. If a lightning bolt hits a power line, the results can be especially devastating, resulting in power outages and damages worth thousands of pounds.
It is possible that lightning can even have an impact on your home devices, such as your computer. When a power line is hit, the sheer power of the burst of electricity could lead to damages to electric devices in households, which is why it is recommended to unplug your devices when you hear a storm outside.
Lightning has an enormous amount of charge. It can strike with a tremendous force and cause a lot of damage. The National Weather Service reports that “a typical lightning flash is about 300 million Volts and about 30,000 Amps. In comparison, the household current is 120 Volts and 15 Amps. There is enough energy in a typical flash of lightning to light a 100-watt incandescent light bulb for about three months or the equivalent compact fluorescent bulb for about a year.”
Tips on how to protect your contents from thunderstorms
Lightning can be very dangerous and you should ensure that you and your family are safe, especially if you’re outside when a storm occurs. But there are some safety measures that apply even if you are indoors.
Don’t use any electronics, with or without cords, including your phone
Don’t use your phone, laptop or PC when there is a storm outside. Additionally, don’t use any devices that are connected to a cord. Since damages can be very severe and exposing yourself by using a device can be dangerous. In order to protect your devices, it can be a good idea to apply for tenants content insurance to stay safe if damages due to thunderstorms do occur.
Stay away from windows
Heavy storms can sometimes even cause windowpanes to shatter, which is why it is important to stay away from the windows during a storm and keep the curtains closed.
Even showering can potentially be dangerous
You never know where lightning is going to hit next, so try to avoid using water in your home. The pipes that the water flows through can conduct lightning.
Where should you take shelter during a thunderstorm?
Get inside if you can whenever a thunderstorm is brewing, but don’t stand or sit underneath trees. Lightning tends to hit the highest target, so if you aren’t able to take shelter, go into a squatting position away from a tree and place your head in between your knees, while wrapping your arms around them. Also, stay away from metal objects that can conduct lightning. This includes bicycles and motorcycles.
According to an article by NBC12, a car can be a good place to take shelter if a sturdy building isn’t nearby. “When thunder roars and lightning cracks across the sky, there are two safe places to seek shelter: inside a sturdy building or inside a hard-topped car”, the news website reports.
“Cars are safe from lightning because of the metal cage surrounding the people inside the vehicle. This may sound counter-intuitive because metal is a good conductor of electricity, but the metal cage of a car directs the lightning charge around the vehicle occupants and safely into the ground. The car essentially becomes a Faraday cage and protects anyone inside.”
There are several accidents that happen each year as a result of thunderstorms. By staying safe you can avoid dangerous situations from occurring.