This may be very silly, but is it true that if you shower during a thunder storm, you can be electrocuted?

Answer 1

This is not a silly question because it involves safety and could even be life or death. I noticed that you have received mixed answers. Some said yes while others said no. Since this could potentially be dangerous if you do not take the right advice, I will include references so you can see that this is correct.

1. "Points to note in thunderstorms

Stay indoors. Seek shelter in buildings if you are working outdoor.
Do not swim or engage in other water sports. Leave the water and seek shelter.
Avoid using telephone or other plugged-in electrical appliances, including computers.
Do not touch aerials, water taps, pipes, wire fences and similar metal installations.
Do not take shower. "

2. Mythbusters even proved it is dangerous. You can get electrocuted from a phone or in the shower from a lighting strike to your house: confirmed
Experiment 2: The Shower
Setup:

Chip grounded with a wire to mimic standing on a drain
electrical wiring run next to some of the shower plumbing
There were big electrical explosions in the shower. Couldn't get readings off of the meter but it seemed clear that one would not want to have been in the shower.

3. When you’re in a safe building and lightning is near:

Avoid contact with corded phones. Phone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in the U.S.
Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. Stay away from televisions, radios and computers. Unplug electronic equipment well before the storm arrives.
Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, take a shower, wash dishes or do laundry. Washers and dryers not only have contacts with the plumbing and electrical systems, but they also contain an electrical path to the outside through the dryer vent. Also, stay away from hot tubs.
Stay away from windows and doors and stay off porches.
Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls.


Though, as one responder noted, it is not very common to get electrocuted during a shower, we cannot know with full certainty when and where lightning will strike, and I sure don't want to take unnecessary risks with my life.

Answer 2

don know ...sounds unlikely :-)

system in a home or other building has traditionally used metal pipes and thus been connected to ground through the pipes. This is no longer always true because of the extensive use of plastic PVC piping in recent years, but a plastic system cannot be relied upon for safety purposes. Contrary to popular belief, pure water is not a good conductor of electricity. However, most water is not pure and contains enough dissolved particles (salts) to greatly enhance its conductivity. When the human skin becomes wet, it allows much more current to flow than the dry human body would. Thus, being in the bath or shower will not only ground oneself to return path of the power mains, but lower the body's resistance as well. Under these circumstances, touching any metal switch or appliance that is connected to the power mains could result in electrocution. While such an appliance is not supposed to be hot on its outer metal switch or frame, it may have become so if a hot bare wire is accidentally touching it (either directly or indirectly via internal metal parts). It is for this reason that mains electrical sockets are prohibited in bathrooms in the UK. However, widespread use of plastic cases (which won't conduct electricity), grounding of appliances, and mandatory installation of ground fault circuit interrupters have greatly reduced this type of electrocution over the past few decades.

Answer 3

Yes it's possible because electricity can travel through water abut I haven't ever heard of anyone being struck while in the shower.

Answer 4

While theoretically possible....it's not highly probablye. Lightning would have to hit your house or apt, or very close to it....the grounding would have to be rather poor in your house or apartment, and the lightning would then have to jump through your pipes, into the water...and then hitting you. It's not impossible, but more than likely, it's not going to happen.

Answer 5

If you are showering in the rain - possible. If you are showering at home in the shower, chances of that happening are a snowball's chances of survival in hell.

Answer 6

You betcha! Water and electricity do not mix well--or should I say mix too well.

Answer 7

YEP