You should not shower during a thunderstorm because lightning can travel through plumbing and water, posing a risk of electric shock or electrocution. Lightning may strike a building and conduct electricity through metal pipes or even plastic pipes filled with water, which is a good conductor of electricity. This makes showering, bathing, washing dishes, or washing hands unsafe during a thunderstorm
. Key points include:
- Lightning can enter plumbing systems and travel through water pipes, potentially striking a person using water fixtures like showers or faucets
- The risk is present even if you have plastic pipes, as water itself conducts electricity
- Experts advise avoiding all contact with plumbing and running water during thunderstorms to reduce the risk of being struck by lightning
- It is recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming showering or other water-related activities
- While indoor lightning strikes causing injury are less common than outdoor strikes, about 10 to 20 people in the U.S. are shocked annually during water-related activities in storms, some potentially fatally
In summary, to stay safe, avoid showering or any use of plumbing during a thunderstorm and wait until the storm has fully passed before using water indoors.
