Hey everyone! Last night, my house was struck by lightning while I was away for work. It's an older house from the 1940s. Thankfully, there was no fire, but my wife sent me some videos, and there doesn't seem to be any visible strike marks. However, the electric system is acting really strange. The fridge and a couple of outlets aren't working at all, and it's not just a breaker issue since they're on different walls and types. The stove outlet is partially working; the display and oven won't come on, but I can still use the electric burners. The well also stopped working today and I had to reset its breaker. Other breakers seem fine, but nothing I've done has fixed the outlets, and everything works fine when plugged into other sources. What should be my next step? Should I call an electrician or my insurance company? Will my insurance cover this if there's no visible damage? Could the lightning strike still cause strange issues even without outward signs? Any advice would be appreciated!
5 Answers
Check with your neighbors to see if they’re facing any power issues too; a lightning strike could indicate transformer damage, which might be a utility issue.
Consider calling both the power company and an electrician. You might have lost a leg of power. To be safe, turn off the breakers until you get everything checked out.
You might have lost one of the two 240 volt legs, which is why half of your 120 volt outlets are working but none of your 240 volt devices. I’d recommend calling an electrician for the safety of your home, and it’d be smart to contact your insurance agent too to see what they might cover.
I’d wait to call insurance until you know how much repairs will cost. You don’t want to risk them dropping you over a claim if it's minor. It’s probably best to start with the electrician.
Thanks for the help!
It’s definitely best to start by calling an electrician to assess the situation. If the costs exceed your deductible, then reach out to your insurance company.
Yeah, I agree. Get the electrician in first. If it turns out to be too costly for you, then you can figure out the insurance part.
I appreciate the advice! I wasn’t sure who to contact first.
Start with the electrician. They can inspect your electrical system and give you a quote on repairs. From there, you can decide if you want to involve the insurance after seeing the costs, factoring in your deductible.
Good call! I only have one neighbor being so rural, but I’ll definitely check.