How a Lightning Strike Can Impact Your Home | Billy.com
You should be aware of the several different ways a lightning strike can negatively affect your home to protect your loved ones after the bolt.
Everybody knows the importance of staying indoors when thunderstorms move into the area. According to the CDC, the odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 500,000, but that doesn’t stop strikes from affecting our lives. Bolts that seemingly target homes at random can quickly cause destruction and chaos if not properly handled. Therefore it’s important to learn how a lightning strike can impact your home.
Start a Fire
A fire caused by a lightning strike is dangerous because the blaze might not begin where you would expect. It’s even possible for a single bolt to heat the air up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is five times greater than the sun’s surface temperature, and produce 300 million volts of electricity. If you suspect lightning hit your home, look for signs of smoke and burning, which can be a sign of damaged electrical wiring or a fire.
Electrocute Occupants
While exceedingly rare, it’s possible to electrocute yourself if you are using a landline phone in the event of a lightning strike. The caveat being you must be using a corded headset, but the chances are still minimal. Things like desktop computers should be avoided, as should bathing due to the metals' conductivity in both.
Destroy Appliances
A surge protector is great for helping to prevent power surges from knocking out your appliances; but even that won’t help in the event of a direct strike to the house. If this happens, many devices will be rendered useless and will mandate a replacement.
Damage To the Building
Lightning strikes can create a shockwave when they hit. This shockwave can blow out windows, crack the foundation of your home, and damage brick and stonework. Be very cautious if you suspect damage to your home's support beams and call in a professional team to conduct a proper inspection.
Attract More Strikes
One surprising way how a lightning strike can impact your home is by turning your home into a magnet for future bolts. If lightning hits once, there’s a good chance it will strike the same building again, but that doesn’t mean you should leave the home. Try to stay put and only leave if your life is in danger.
