On Earth, there are 100 lightning strikes every second - more than 3.6 trillion a year. Lightning damage to home electronics occurs when a lightning strike supplies excess electricity to a power pole. This energy then flows through telephone lines and power lines directly to our sockets. It is a sad fact that lightning will set the computer on fire for someone and somewhere. Read this article to find out how you can prevent this.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Disconnecting from Power Supplies
Step 1. "Before" a thunderstorm starts, disconnect all wires connecting your computer to the outlet
It is necessary to disconnect not only the power wires, but also the wires suitable for the modem.
It is best to turn off your computer "before" a thunderstorm, but it happens that you are not near the computer, and the threat of bad weather is high. Fear not, there are other preventative measures
Method 2 of 4: Using Surge Protection Devices
Step 1. Use an overvoltage protection device
Do not confuse it with an extension cord. The surge protector will look like a large power strip. When your home gets a surge in power, the surge protector takes over and guides it away from outlets and your computer.
For 100% protection, if you are at home, disconnect your surge protector in case of a thunderstorm
Step 2. Make sure you buy a "good" surge protector
Pay attention to the following details:
- The overvoltage protection device must be able to withstand lightning strikes. Some are not capable of this.
- If you regularly connect your computer to a modem, make sure the surge protector has a modem outlet.
- Look for overvoltage protection devices, the manufacturer of which covers all the costs of burned out, being correctly connected to their products, devices.
Method 3 of 4: Prevent Data Loss During Outages
Step 1. Consider whether your devices need an uninterruptible power supply, also known as a UPS
While surge protectors protect against overvoltage, uninterruptible power supplies protect against "blackouts". Power outages and power surges, even small ones, can cause hardware or software damage (such as loss of data) to certain equipment such as external hard drives or professional telecommunications equipment.
A UPS will be especially useful if you have a home office or your electronics are constantly being operated on
Step 2. During thunderstorm seasons, make long-term data backups on a more opportunistic basis
Do this long before the threat of lightning, as it is very risky to do this during a thunderstorm.
Step 3. If you leave your home for a day or two during thunderstorm season, turn off all important equipment
Method 4 of 4: Assessing Thunderstorm Damage to Computer Hardware
Step 1. Consider if the damage has already been done
Even if your computer is working, you should still check it in case the charge remains in a dangerous form, which could cause electric shock or fire.
If one of your phones or other electronics shows signs of damage, it is reasonable to assume that your computer is also affected
Step 2. Turn off the computer and check the outside of the chassis for smoke and burn marks (especially around the power supply at the back of the chassis)
Use your sense of smell. If your computer smells pungent, then hidden damage is possible
Step 3. If you suspect damage to your computer, seek professional assistance
You may have the option to recover your data.
Advice
- Get in the habit of unplugging all valuable electronics before leaving your home, even if you're using a surge protector.
- Add multiple weather sites to your mobile to keep track of the weather forecast.
- If you have an urgent need to use your computer during a thunderstorm, use an old, WiFi-connected laptop. Thus, if something happens to him, it will not be such a big loss.