Do I Have To Be Concerned About Being Hit By Lightning During A Thunderstorm If I Am Grounded In My Home?

Lightning is a massive natural phenomenon that is unpredictable and challenging to totally protect against. However, homes are rarely hit by lightning. When this does occur, the lightning usually takes the path of least resistance to the ground, such as large conductive systems like the plumbing pipes, electrical wiring network, or telephone and cable TV lines, all of which are directly grounded to the Earth.

The National Safety Council reports that the odds of dying from a lightning strike in one year are 1 in 6 million (www.nsc.org/research/odds.aspx). To put this in perspective, the chance of being hit and killed by an automobile as a pedestrian in the same period is one in fifty thousand—a risk 120 times greater.

What these statistics suggest is that being hit by lightning is rather unlikely. However, follow standard lightning safety guidelines as directed by the National Weather Service (www.lighteningsafety.noaa.gov) if you live in a lightening-prone area. Disconnect your Earthing device and don't use it during lightening and thunderstorms.