Electrocution?! Helpme pleez?

Question

Ok, this might sound stupid but can u get electrocuted when ur taking a shower? like if theres a thunder and lightning storm going on outside? Cuz i wanna take a shower but im afriad i might get electrocuted. help?

Answer 1

YES you can infact Lightning does not even have to hit the house it can hit a fire hydrant out side your house or even the ground next to the house with as much as 300,000 amperes and one billion volts!( http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/lightning/positive.htm ) Lightning is nothing to mess around with remember 1amp can kill you

SEE
LIGHTNING SAFETY LINKS

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/lightning.html

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more.htm

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/severewx/safety.php

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/lightning/ltg_faq.shtml

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/survivors.htm

Answer 2

While I believe the probability of electrocution is very low I would recommend that you not shower during a lightning storm. National pluming and electrical code both require that the water supply pluming be electrically connected to a metal rod driven into the ground, thus your faucets and possibly the drain pluming are at what is called ground potential. As I understand it lightning is formed when an excess of positive charge is built up in the clouds until it has sufficient energy to stream to the earth in a bolt attracted to the equilibrium provided by the negative charge available in the ground. Since lightning is attracted to the ground and your pluming is electrically connected to ground you can see why showering right now might not be a good idea.

Answer 3

Under normal circumstances NO, yet if the earthing of your home's electricity supply is faulty, and lightning should strike one of the pipes (especially if the pipes are copper pipes), conductivity might take place, and because water is an excellent conductor of electricity, and you are standing in the water which is "connected" to the earth via the outlet drainage pipe, you might get electrocuted. Old people used to warn not to bath, shower or run water from faucets in heavy weather, likewise they also drew the curtains in front of windows and even went so far as to hang sheets over mirrors - because "lightning was supposed to be attracted by shining surfaces" are merely old wives' tales . . .

Answer 4

No risk at all. Both the shower head and the drain fitting are at the same electrical potential if all the pipes are metal, so you can't get electrocuted in the shower. If the pipes are plastic, they won't carry the charge from the lightning anyway.

Answer 5

It is possible for lightning to come through your window and hit you in the shower, but it is highly unlikely. That is, of course, if you are showering inside. Outside is another story. It is advisable to wait until a thunderstorm has passed to shower.

Answer 6

All modern houses have a ground wire that dissapate electric shock into the ground. Any lightning to hit your house will travel down this wire and disperse into the dirt. Inside your house you are fine, even in the shower.

Answer 7

Avoid taking a shower or bath. If lightning strikes your house it may send a current of electricity across metal plumbing throughout the house.

It's possible but rare.

Answer 8

This is an old wive's tale. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's impossible, but the conditions for it to happen add up to a very finite probability.

Answer 9

when it is thundering and lightning, stay out of the water. wait until it stops.

Answer 10

Um no, I think you'll be fine. You are inside right? You're house my get struck, but you'll be fine...besides the chances of getting hit are super slim. Take a shower and relax.