Do I Need to Unplug Appliances During a Storm?

When lightning strikes, your electronics and appliances could be in for a big shock. But have no fear, you've got the power to safeguard your TV, computers, large appliances and smartphones from unwanted surges.

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If you unplug appliances during a storm, you could protect your favorite devices and keep your entire household safe.

Do You Need to Unplug Your Appliance During Storms?

In most cases, you don't actually need to unplug appliances during a storm. You need to unplug them before the storm reaches your location. The main reason to unplug everything before storms hit is to protect your property from power surges.

A power surge occurs when lightning hits a power line. This sends a jolt of electricity through the electrical wires into nearby homes. When this huge burst of electricity hits your home electrical system, it's often too much for your home's wiring, outlets and electrical panel to handle. Anything plugged into outlets in your home gets hit with a sudden voltage spike, which can damage electronics and appliances.

Power surges can also occur when electricity is restored after a power outage. If the power goes out during a storm, you can unplug any devices you missed at this time. Remember to leave one light on so you know when the power comes back. After power is restored, wait a few minutes before plugging everything back in so you don't overwhelm your local electrical grid.

Don't forget your pets, either. Unplugging electronic feeders, aquarium filters and other devices your pets regularly access protects the devices, and all the animals in your household, from dangerous surges.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Unplugging Appliances?

The pros of unplugging before a storm include safety and preventing damage to appliances and electronics. Unplugged appliances and electronics aren't susceptible to power surges, so you don't need to worry about unexpected damage. Devices with sensitive electronic components, such as game consoles, computers, smart home devices and televisions, are particularly susceptible to surge damage. If you need to unplug necessary medical equipment, make sure you have battery-powered alternatives available before the storm.

The cons of unplugging appliances during a storm mostly come down to inconvenience. Unplugging everything in your house takes time, and you'll need to plug everything in again once the storm passes. Some plugs, especially the plugs of major appliances such as washing machines, may be difficult to reach.

Another problem with unplugging can occur if the storm has already arrived. When a power surge flows through your electrical system, the resulting shock could also travel through the device into anyone who happens to be touching it. This is why it's essential to unplug everything before the storm arrives, instead of waiting until you see flashes of lightning outside your window. Don't touch electronic devices, outlets or power cords while a thunderstorm is in progress.

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How Can You Protect Electronics During a Thunderstorm?

If you don't want to unplug appliances during a storm, there are other ways to protect devices in your home. Surge protectors are devices that plug into the wall and serve as a buffer between your home electrical system and your electronics. These devices reduce the amount of voltage that gets through during a sudden spike, so computers, phones and small appliances stay safe. You can find single-plug surge protectors or power strips that let you plug multiple devices into a single outlet. Whole-home surge protectors are installed near the electrical panel to cover all areas of the home.

Surge protectors aren't foolproof, though. A large surge caused by a nearby lightning strike could overwhelm the surge protector and let some of that excess voltage through. Unplugging completely eliminates the risk of an electronics-destroying surge.

Some appliances shouldn't be plugged into a surge protector at all. Space heaters, microwaves and hair dryers all fall into this category. These devices draw more power than a surge protector can handle, so they need to be plugged directly into the wall.