11 devices to unplug urgently before a storm according to ENGIE

Stay away from trees, don't open your umbrella... You probably know the basic safety tips for protecting yourself from lightning. But do you know how to protect your electronic devices when thunder rumbles ?

Lightning strikes that strike the ground during a thunderstorm cause voltage spikes in the electrical grid. These surges propagate through cables and wires , and can seriously damage components in your devices : motherboards, hard drives, microprocessors, circuits, electronic cards... and thus put your machines out of service. To avoid disaster, certain devices must be unplugged before the storm . The list is in our slideshow below.

Do you live in an area at risk of power surges?

Not all homes are equally exposed to electrical hazards. You should be extra vigilant if you live in an isolated house, in the countryside or mountains , or in an area prone to flooding and/or strong winds. Proximity to metal structures (fences, wire mesh, etc.), wooded areas, or bodies of water increases the danger .

On the other hand, people living in houses or apartments in urban areas are more at ease: power surges are diverted by lightning rods .

How do I protect my devices during stormy weather?

If you're tired of unplugging and replugging your electronics every time thunder strikes, you can equip your home's roof with a lightning rod , and call an electrician to install a surge protector system on your electrical panel and circuit breaker . All you have to do is plug the devices most at risk of power surges into a power strip equipped with a surge protector to prevent damage.

Unplugging your circuit breaker is pointless : the power won't stop, and your appliances will be at greater risk of power surges. According to ENGIE , your circuit breaker is there to detect electrical anomalies in your installations and cut off the power to prevent fires and other accidents.

Devices you can safely leave plugged in

Some electronics and household appliances, on the other hand, do not need to be unplugged during a storm . This is the case for recent refrigerators and freezers - provided they do not have too many on-board electronics - which can quite easily remain powered during a storm. Traditional lamps and properly installed water heaters are also at lower risk of power surges and can therefore be used normally during storms.