Why Should You Avoid Showering, Washing Dishes, or Doing Laundry During a Thunderstorm?

Typically, during thunderstorms, people are accustomed to warnings such as not standing near windows or under trees. However, during these times, you should also avoid activities that involve contact with water, such as showering or washing dishes.

According to experts, using water during thunderstorms poses certain risks of danger.

Medical experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States advise people to avoid touching water, including activities like showering or washing dishes, to reduce the risk of being struck by lightning.

In a statement from the CDC, they clearly state: Avoid showering, using faucets, or washing dishes during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through a building's plumbing system. If plastic pipes are used, the risk of electrical conduction is lower compared to metal pipes. However, avoiding contact with water systems and running water during a storm is still recommended to reduce the risk of lightning strikes.

Additionally, the agency advises people to stay away from porches, balconies, and windows, and to avoid standing near doors when there is lightning. Particularly, people should avoid lying on concrete floors or leaning against concrete walls during thunderstorms.

Moreover, it is advised not to use computers or other electronic devices plugged into electrical outlets, and to stay away from corded phones. Mobile phones and cordless phones are considered safe to use indoors as long as they are not connected to charging outlets.

If lightning strikes your house, the electric current tends to follow the path of least resistance to the ground. Metal pipes and the water inside them create a convenient conduit for the current to travel down to the ground. A showerhead provides both metal and water, making it an ideal conductor for electricity.

When a house is struck by lightning, people inside the house can still be injured, though the injury is less severe compared to a direct lightning strike. However, it is difficult to be certain about the extent of injury when lightning strikes a house.