When you were growing up, did anyone ever tell you to unplug all of the electronics in your house before a thunderstorm?
Multiple people on social media claim their grandmothers told them to do this as a child, and many say they still practice it now as adults.
A VERIFY reader wants to know if it actually helps keep your electronic devices safer to unplug them before a storm, even if they are plugged into surge protectors.
THE QUESTION
Can unplugging electronics before a thunderstorm help protect them from damage?
THE SOURCES
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- National Weather Service
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- California Public Utilities Commission
- Government of Canada
- Payless Power, a family-owned and operated retail electric company in Texas
- Safe Electricity, a public awareness program of the Energy Education Council
- Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
THE ANSWER
Yes, unplugging electronics before a thunderstorm can help protect them from damage.
WHAT WE FOUND
All of our sources agree that the best thing you can do to protect the electronics in your home from damage is to unplug them before a thunderstorm — even if they’re connected to a surge protector.
“It may seem like a hassle, but if you’re at home and hear thunder or severe-weather alerts, take a few minutes to unplug computers, gaming devices, TVs, coffee makers, toaster ovens, microwaves, and more,” Payless Power, an electric company in Texas, says in a blog post.
Any device that uses electricity, such as computers, televisions, household appliances, etc., is susceptible to a lightning strike when it’s storming outside, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) and Safe Electricity.
That’s why they both say it’s important to unplug all electronics, including surge protectors, before the storm arrives — never during because it’s unsafe to touch electrical equipment and cords when there’s lightning.
“Electrical surges caused by lightning can damage electronics (even at some distance from the actual strike), and a typical surge protector will do little to protect the device (or the person using it) if lightning should strike,” the NWS explains.
In the event of a power outage, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, says there are three reasons why it’s important to unplug electronics and appliances:
- Protection: When power returns, there will be a surge of electrical energy that could damage sensitive equipment like computers, TVs, or VCRs. Unplugging them one by one, while leaving one light on, will let you know electricity has been restored.
- Safety: It is easy to forget that you had a stove burner or an iron on during an outage. If you’re away from home when electric service is restored, you can have a serious safety hazard.
- Helping your power company restore service: Restarting appliances can use almost double the amount of electricity that they use when running normally. When the main switches are re-energized, this demand can cause breakers to trip. It helps if you don’t have all your appliances waiting to draw power the instant it is restored.
“If the power goes out, unplug all electric appliances to avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards caused by the restored power. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when power is restored,” the California Public Utilities Commission says on its website.
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary recommends waiting at least 15 minutes after the power is restored before plugging in electronics and appliances.
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