Can I Use Grounding Devices During Thunderstorms?
Denzel SueltoIf you use grounding mats or sheets, is it safe to use them during a thunderstorm? Lightning is a powerful and unpredictable force of nature. We know we should avoid taking showers or using corded phones during storms due to the risk of lightning.
Grounding devices connect to the Earth (often via your home’s grounding port in an outlet or a ground rod), so it’s smart to be cautious.
Here’s the straightforward advice: during thunderstorms, it’s generally best to unplug or discontinue use of grounding devices to stay safe.
Understanding the Risk
A grounding mat or grounding bedsheet itself isn’t magically attracting lightning – but if lightning struck near your home or the electrical grid, a surge could travel through the ground wiring.
Normally, a grounding cord has safety features such as a resistor (about 100 kω) that limits current, and many have a built-in fuse in the adapter. These components can protect you from ordinary electrical faults by allowing only a tiny trickle of current. However, lightning is on a different scale. A lightning bolt can carry millions of volts – far beyond what any small resistor or fuse can block.
If a strike hits a power line or the ground nearby, that massive surge might overwhelm the device’s safety features. In the worst case, a huge current could briefly travel through the grounding connection and into the sheet or mat, posing a shock risk. While this scenario is unlikely, the consequences could be severe, so it’s not worth the gamble.
Expert Guidelines
Electrical safety experts and many grounding product manufacturers advise erring on the side of caution. The Cleveland Clinic, for example, explicitly warns never to use indoor grounding devices during a thunderstorm because of electrocution risk in event of a lightning strike.
This is the same reason we’re told to stay off corded electronics and avoid plumbing during storms – lightning can send surges through any conductive path. Some manufacturers note that their grounding cords have protective resistors and fine wires that would burn out if a large surge occurred.
This is reassuring, but even these companies typically say that such lightning-related surges are extremely rare or theoretical. Rare isn’t impossible. Unplugging the device during a storm completely eliminates the risk, however small.
The safest choice is to disconnect your grounding device during thunderstorms.
Practical Safety Tips
- Unplug During Storms: If you see lightning or hear thunder nearby, disconnect your grounding mat or sheet from the outlet. It’s okay if you forget once and a storm passes without incident, but as a routine, get in the habit of pulling that plug when the weather turns. Just like you might shut down a computer or TV during a violent storm, treat your grounding device the same way.
- Use a Surge Protector: If you live in an area with frequent storms, plugging your grounding equipment into a surge protector (that then goes into the wall) may offer an extra layer of defense. Note that standard surge protectors can still be overpowered by a direct lightning hit, but they can help with smaller surges.
- Outdoor Ground Rods: If your system uses a rod stuck in the ground outside, definitely disconnect it during lightning. A ground rod is actually part of a lightning protection system for a house; if lightning hits nearby ground, that rod and anything attached could become part of the lightning’s path to disperse energy. You don’t want to be connected to it when that happens.
- After the Storm: Once the lightning and thunder have fully passed (generally, experts say to wait 30 minutes after the last thunder clap), it’s fine to reconnect your grounding devices and resume use. Also, inspect your equipment if there was a very close strike – though rare, a surge could potentially damage the cord or connections.
Will Lightning “Find” My Grounding Mat?
It’s important to clarify that using a grounding mat indoors does not make you a lightning rod. Lightning isn’t attracted to your mat or your home’s ground any more than it already is to any structure.
The danger is about what happens if a strike occurs nearby or on your power lines. In such a case, every electrical path in the house (wiring, plumbing, etc.) can suddenly carry a huge charge.
Your grounding mat’s cord plugged into the wall is part of the home’s electrical network, so it would be affected just like other appliances. The mat isn’t drawing lightning to you; the concern is simply about being connected during a once-in-a-blue-moon event.
Think of it like taking precautions: we wear seatbelts not because we expect a crash, but just in case. Unplugging the mat in storms is like wearing a seatbelt.
Bottom Line
Do not use grounding devices during thunderstorms
It’s a small inconvenience for peace of mind. Enjoy the benefits of your grounding mats or sheets on calm days and nights, but when nature starts an electrical show outside, play it safe. After all, grounding is meant to improve your health and well-being – and part of well-being is avoiding unnecessary risks.
When thunder roars, go indoors (without your grounding gear)! Once the skies clear, you can plug back in and continue reaping the Earth’s gentle benefits safely.
References
- Cleveland Clinic. (2024, Nov 19). “What Is Earthing and Is It Beneficial?” Health Essentials. (K. Albers, interview).
- Merck & Co., Inc. (2025). Lightning injuries – prevention guidelines. The Merck Manual – Consumer Version.
