SAN ANTONIO — As we march closer to the first day of Spring, chances of showers and thunderstorms will be going up. In tonight's Verify, we look into just one of the many dangers thunderstorms bring along, and how to keep you save inside your home.
Most of us know that metal and water are excellent at conducting electricity, including that caused by a lightning strike.
THE QUESTION
Is it safe to take a shower or bath during a thunderstorm?
THE SOURCES
- Jon Zeitler, the Science and Operations Officer for the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio forecast office
- The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
THE ANSWER
FALSE
WHAT WE FOUND
Zeitler told us there are three ways lightning can affect people inside a building. One is a direct strike which can happen through open windows or doors.
"The two other ways lightning enters are through wiring in the house, which of course, every house has wiring, or through the pipes, which every house has pipes," Zeitler said.
If lightning does hit your house, it does have the ability to travel through metal pipes, which touch the water and can touch you resulting in a shock.
"A lot of the modern housing, of course, uses plastic or PVC kind of piping, which is not going to allow the conduction of the electricity nearly as much," Zeitler added.
The CDC agreed and on their website it says the following:
"It is best to avoid all water during a thunderstorm. Do not shower, bathe, wash dishes, or wash your hands. The risk of lightning travelling through plumbing might be less with plastic pipes than with metal pipes. However, it is best to avoid any contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck."
So no, it is false. It is NOT safe to take a shower or bath during a thunderstorm.
Zeitler also told us if you're outside and there is a thunderstorm approaching to get inside, or get into a car if a building isn't nearby and wait until at least 30 minutes since the last lightning strike or rumble of thunder before you go back outside.