Spring! It's that the time of year when the air warms up and the sun's strength (should) have us peeling off the layers. It is also the season in which thunderstorm activity begins to build towards its summer crescendo, thanks mostly to those warmer days, the effects of which give rise to strong air convection and thundery skies. When atmospheric conditions are right spectacular thunderstorms develop bringing torrents of rain, hail and lightning strikes - weather phenomena that have the potential to damage property and take lives.
Direct hit!
One of the most feared consequences of a thunderstorm is being hit by lightning. Lightning is a powerful electrical discharge that flows between its parent thunder cloud and the ground below. Typically a strike carries up to 1.5 million volts, deadly for those who are unlucky enough to be in its way. The discharge tends to earth at the nearest available point to the cloud base. It is for this reason that trees and tall buildings such as churches and office blocks are more frequently struck by lightning than residential housing and people.
That said, every year the media report on countless lucky escapes by those whose homes have been hit by lightning. The immense power of a direct hit can blow a hole in the roof of a property and even collapse the ceilings below it. The intense heat associated with the strike may also start a fire at the property. In the worst cases it is the fire rather than the lightning strike itself that has caused the most damage.
Electrocution by lightning is much less of a concern when inside a building, but it can happen! We have to remember that lightning is an electric current. It searches for pathways of least resistance to the ground. If there are highly conductive materials present in the property, such as a telephone wire or metal pipe, the current is more likely to pass down these routes than through something that is more resistant to the current. To avoid being caught out then you should not use a telephone or touch the metal taps in the kitchen or bathroom during a thunderstorm!
Safety first
So what exactly should you do to keep yourself safe and limit the damage to your property in an electrical storm? Well, rule number-one is already clear - that is to stay away from metal and other highly conductive materials until the storm passes. Electricity and water don't mix either, so avoid taking a shower or bath during a storm - and leave that washing up until afterwards!
Do you have any trees close to the property? If they rise above the roofline they stand a greater chance of being hit by lightning than the property itself. If a tree is hit, debris from it could smash through your windows. It's therefore wise to stay away from those windows that are closest to the action!
Finally, do switch off all non-essential electrical appliances when you hear a storm approaching. Lightning strikes on power lines that feed your property can cause power surges that may damage electrical equipment such as TV screens and computers. As a matter of course you can also route the electricity supply to your most cherished electrical devices via a socket fitted with a surge protector. This not only helps to limit the damage to your equipment in the event of a surge from an electrical storm, but also protects your equipment against other minor surges that might hit your electricity supplier's network from time to time.
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