South Florida is no stranger to powerful storms, receiving more lightning annually than many states experience in a decade. In fact, they’re such a common occurrence that we who live here in the ironically-named “sunshine state” often take their destructive powers for granted – there may be a correlation between the state’s confidence over Mother Nature and the inordinate amount of golf courses and artificially planted palm trees, but that’s a discussion for another time altogether. The point is that the costly damages that can be caused by these powerful forces of nature can be devastating and should not to be taken lightly. While extremely uncommon, all it takes is for one unpredictable lightning strike to surge through your home’s wiring to destroy the functionality your family’s lights, outlets, appliances, and other connected electronic devices. Even a nearby lightning strike can knock out your home’s power and create a dangerous environment for you and your loved ones at the very least.
Not only are these incredibly storms common in Florida, but they can come and go without a moment’s notice, (I myself once experienced a unrelenting torrential downpour in my backyard so being prepared for the worst is crucial to keeping your family, home, and possessions safe from a dangerous power surge or other storm-related incident. And with over 2,000 lightning-related injuries in the one state alone reported over the past 50 years, you can never be too careful. There’s nothing that anyone can do to control the weather (unless you work for HAARP, which is unlikely), but MTS Power Products has the next best thing – years of professional experience and wisdom that allow us to share all of the storm and lightning safety information that you’ll need to stay safe!
When it comes to keeping you and your family safe in a lightning storm, knowledge really is the ultimate power. In order to properly prepare yourself to deal with the dangers of lightning storms, as with any other potential threat or challenge, it helps to know just what it is that you’re up against. And since there’s no way to actively combat such a powerful force of nature (still looking at you, HAARP), a defensive approach to safety really is the only viable option to apply. So what exactly is lightning, anyway? As a storm cloud forms, all of it’s heavier negatively charged particles descend to the bottom. Once the cloud’s interior fills with enough of both negatively and positively charged particles, a giant spark is discharged onto the ground below to correct the imbalanced charges within the cloud. You certainly don’t want to be too close when this happens and you want as much space between you and the dangerous electricity as possible, so it is important to seek shelter and stay indoors during a storm first and foremost.
Once you’re inside, you may have put some distance between yourself and the elements, but there’s still much to be done to ensure your safety and that of your home’s electronics. Lightning can still enter your home through the inner and outer wires & pipes, the ground, or in the worst case scenario, through a direct lightning strike. To determine just how much risk your home is facing, it is highly recommended that you use what is referred to as the “30/30 Rule” – If you see lightning in the distance and hear the following thunder in 30 seconds or less, that typically mean that storm is within 6 miles of your current location, close enough to be affected by a lightning strike either nearby or directly. If you’re within the danger zone, then it is time to start taking precautions inside your home to protect your family and your possessions. It only takes a millisecond for a power surge to burn out your appliances, so one of the most important safety measures that you can implement in this situation is installing surge protectors onto your outlets. To that end, it is also important that you and your family stay away from the outlets during a storm as electricity can be transferred through them in the form of powerful shocks.Ideally, you want to make sure that all of your appliances are either connected to a surge protector or unplugged completely before the storm begins or as quickly as possible after.
Surge protectors are not a 100% guarantee against electric shock, so avoid using any plugged in devices and appliances until the storm has subsided. In addition to plugged-in electronics, it is also advised you refrain from engaging with faucets, showers, bathtubs, pools, and other sources of water connected to your plumbing as the pipes and water itself are ideal conductors of electricity. Washing machines and dryers are particularly vulnerable in these situations as they are connected to both your home’s plumbing and electrical systems, making them extremely hazardous to operate in a storm. You may lose power during the storm, but even emergency generators are a shock risk that should be avoided until the storm has passed. Lightning storms can definitely be an intense and frightening experience, but they don’t to be costly or dangerous if you take the proper electrical precautions. Don’t get left in the dark (literally) when it comes to the safety of you, your family, and your home. The humid and warm weather conditions that we endure in Florida are perfect for storms to develop aggressively and without warning, so it is important to be prepared with a safety strategy. By staying indoors, avoiding sources of electricity and water, installing surge protectors, you’ll be prepared for whatever the sky can throw at you.
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