Thunderstorms might be mesmerizing and aesthetic – but they can also be very dangerous – even fatal. While we aren’t asking you to hide underneath a desk every time you hear thunder – but, you should definitely stay inside when the weather starts acting mad.
Even when you are inside, there are certain things that you should absolutely avoid. Now before we jump into the list of things that you must avoid while a storm is brewing outside, you should know that you should keep checking your house for missing roof tiles and cracked driveway.
Severe weather conditions can damage your house – in the case of a severe storm, your house might be in dire need of water damage restoration. If property damage remains undetected for a longer time, it might cost you a lot more to get things fixed afterward, which is why proper home maintenance is absolutely mandatory.
Nonetheless, here is the list of things that you cannot do when there is a storm outside:
Taking a Shower
Believe us – the electric currents instigated by storms and lightning can travel through your house’s water pipes. And the worst case scenario is that you might get electrocuted while taking a shower or bath during a lightning storm.
If you proceed to take a shower with a storm raging outside, you could experience shocks – not to mention that the lighting bolts could also initiate a fire inside your home. So, never make the mistake of taking a shower or a bath during a storm.
Apart from taking a shower, you shouldn’t use water for doing the dishes as well. The best scenario is to wait until the storm has passed and resume all water-related chores.
Ignoring Your Hair
It doesn’t matter whether you are moving indoors or outdoors during a storm – always pay attention to the state of your hair. Suppose you are standing in your backyard and taking pictures of the approaching thunderstorm.
Suddenly, your friend or family points towards your head, stating something extraordinary: your hair is standing on the end.
Don’t make the mistake of getting ecstatic about your standing hair – instead, seek shelter and get yourself inside your house. If you are indoors, you will want to close the window or get away from the window.
Standing hair is a clue that you can get hit by lightning.
Lighting Candles
In particularly severe cases of thunderstorms, you can expect the unavailability of power and phone service. As a result, you might not be able to call the fire department or the ambulance. So, it is important to act wisely and avoid doing anything that could cause an accident.
To avoid a potential fire caused by lit candles, you will want to choose the safer option of going with a flashlight.
Leaving Your Pets Outside
While this is quite obvious – it is still worth mentioning. You should never leave your pets outside in bad weather. During a thunderstorm, the only way to keep your animals safe is by bringing them inside the house. If you have kept your dog chained to a tree outside – it won’t survive the lighting.