Being inside a house during a thunderstorm is one of the safest places you can be, but it’s not risk-free. About one-third of all lightning injuries happen indoors. The key is knowing what to avoid touching and where to position yourself while the storm passes.
Stay Away From Anything That Conducts Electricity
Lightning that strikes a house travels through the path of least resistance, which means wiring, plumbing, and metal components built into the structure. The National Weather Service recommends staying off corded phones, away from electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, computers, plumbing, and metal doors and windows. Cordless phones and cell phones are perfectly safe to use because they aren’t physically connected to wiring that could carry a surge.
If you’re using a desktop computer plugged into the wall, stop. A laptop running on battery power with no charging cable is fine. The same logic applies to anything with a cord running to an outlet. If a power strip or surge protector is your only line of defense, know that standard surge protectors are not designed to handle a direct lightning strike.
Don’t Use Water During the Storm
This one surprises people. Lightning can travel through your home’s plumbing, so you should avoid showering, bathing, washing dishes, or even washing your hands until the storm passes. The risk comes from metal pipes that run through walls and connect to the ground, giving lightning a continuous path. If your home has entirely plastic plumbing, the risk is lower, but most homes have at least some metal connections, and it’s not worth guessing.
Avoid Concrete Walls and Floors
Concrete itself doesn’t conduct electricity well, but the metal reinforcing bars (rebar) and wire mesh inside it do. The National Weather Service specifically warns against lying on a concrete garage floor, which likely contains wire mesh, and against leaning on concrete walls that may have metal reinforcement inside. If you’re sheltering in a basement with concrete floors, stand on a rug or sit on furniture rather than lying directly on the slab.
Move Away From Windows and Doors
Windows and doors pose a dual risk. Metal frames can conduct electricity if lightning strikes nearby, and a close strike can shatter glass from the shockwave of thunder or from superheated air expanding rapidly. The CDC advises staying away from windows and doors entirely and staying off porches. Move to an interior room if possible. A hallway, bathroom, or closet near the center of your home puts the most walls between you and the storm.
Where to Position Yourself
The safest spot is an interior room on the lowest floor of your home, away from windows, plumbing, and exterior walls. A basement works well as long as you’re not in direct contact with concrete floors or walls. If you don’t have a basement, a bathroom or closet in the center of your home is a good option.
Avoid the garage. Between the concrete floor, the large metal door, and the likelihood of being near electrical panels or wiring, it’s one of the riskier rooms in your house during a lightning storm.
Unplug Electronics Before the Storm Arrives
If you have advance warning that a storm is coming, unplug valuable electronics like TVs, computers, and gaming consoles. A lightning strike on or near your home can send a massive voltage spike through your wiring that destroys anything connected to it. Whole-house surge protectors installed at the breaker panel offer some protection, but physically unplugging devices is the only guaranteed safeguard. Don’t try to unplug things once the storm is directly overhead, though. At that point, touching cords and outlets carries its own risk.
Keep Pets Safe
Bring outdoor pets inside well before the storm hits. During severe storms, the ASPCA recommends sheltering in a basement or small interior room and making sure your pets are comfortable going there with you. Many animals hide during storms, so know your pet’s favorite hiding spots in advance so you can find them quickly if you need to move to a safer area. If you shelter in a basement, check for pest poisons or chemicals stored at floor level that a stressed animal might get into.
Know When It’s Safe to Resume Normal Activity
The storm may seem over before it actually is. Electrical charges linger in clouds after the visible storm passes, and lightning can strike from miles away. The standard guideline is to wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before going back outside, opening windows, using plumbing, or plugging electronics back in. If you hear another rumble during that 30-minute window, restart the clock.
If Your House Is Struck by Lightning
A direct lightning strike on a house is dramatic but not always obvious. You might hear a loud crack, see a flash, or notice that breakers have tripped. Sometimes the only sign is a burned smell or scorch marks near the roofline, chimney, or electrical panel.
Your first concern is fire. Lightning can ignite insulation or wood framing inside walls where you can’t see it. Check the attic if you can safely access it, and look for smoke or unusual heat coming from walls, especially near the point of entry. If you smell smoke or see any sign of fire, get everyone out and call 911.
Even without fire, have an electrician inspect your wiring before relying on it normally. A strike can damage wiring in ways that create fire hazards days or weeks later. Check your homeowner’s insurance policy as well, since lightning damage is typically covered under standard policies.