lili

How long are we talking about? I don't unplug aything when I leave for work, which could be 12+ hours before I return.

We only unplug the computer network if leaving for a week or so. Or the Christmas tree on Christmas eve when visiting relatives (which is only 6 hours max)

And we NEVER turn off the water to the washing machine or water heater even though we have friends and neighbors have to more or less rebuild their entire homes after one of those went bad.

BTW, firemen advise you turn off your sprinkler system whenever you 're not home. Like every morning when you go to work. Those things don't put out a fire, just give you time to get out. And if they go off when you're not there, 14,000+ gallons of water could fall all over your hardwood floors down two stories and drip down through the ceiling and light fixtures as happened to my son, somewhat delaying his walk-though prior to move-in.

Or your pool sucker-thingie could go bad and start pumping out all the water in the pool if it flops out of the water. See, I know nothing, but when house-sitting I knew something was wrong, so shut off the breaker.

So either leave and don't worry, or find a friend who will housesit and not steal or go through your stuff. Life's a ..... sometimes.

Loren Pechtel

The computer and all heat-making appliances. We also turn off the faucets feeding the wash machine and turn down the water heater and unplug the recirculator pump. (Note: It's not a good idea to turn gas water heaters entirely off. They have a vacation setting that keeps them just warm enough to avoid condensation.)

dwooley

Always flip the circuitbreaker before I leave.

oldpenny16

Gone long, then I unplug a lot. Short trips, nada. Should do more as my bills are terrible.

flygirlNYC

Nope, not a thing.
But I happen to rent in New York, and my apt. building was FRIED by lightning a few months ago...us, and maybe a couple others, out of all the buidings in the city...that was fun.
So it can't happen twice, right?

Seattle Flyer

I do the same thing for a trip as I do when I go to work: turn everything off, turn the heat down, and leave everything plugged in.

I've considered flipping the breaker to the hot water heater on long trips but I so love a nice hot shower as soon as I get home that I just leave it on. I would really like to get one of those tankless hot water systems, just heats the water as you use it instead of storing it.

If I was caught up in the unplugging bit I think I would just turn the circuit breakers off that way the wiring in the walls couldn't short out either. Seems like a lot of work to go around unplugging everything. Needless to say I'm just not a "The stove is always on!", kind of guy.

joer

I have my TV, VCR and special DVD player on a special outlet that is connected to a light switch, thus proving those things useful for something. I don't do this because of a fear of lightning, but because the TV uses 22 watts in standby mode (Don't know about the VCR or special DVD player). What the hell is my TV doing that it needs 22 watts just to sit there? I mean, my DVR/boring old DVD player/recorder combo only uses 13.5 watts in standby mode, and it's actually doing stuff like keeping time and counting down to when it should start recording stuff.


That's why I unplug my toaster whenever I'm not using it. I probably shouldn't worry about that too much since it's lined with genuine asbestos (I don't know when it was made, but the guarantee expired 41 years ago this month).

aSiAnRiCk

I unplug the computers and other electronics. However, the refrigerator will stay plugged in.

I live in Florida where lightning is not an unusual sight

CPRich

I suppose that's the difference - I have UPS/surge protectors on everything of value and no one in the area that I know of has ever had lightning-caused damage.

3timesalady

Gone for the day, nothing. Gone for the week, then I have a small space heater that I unplug... mostly for an irrational fear that it will turn on, walk itself over to the carpet or some furniture, and set it on fire. Odd, isn't it? And yet that's what I do!

Scifience

I don't unplug anything. I like still having cold food when I get back and intensely dislike having to rest clocks on sixty-two billion devices.

I also frequently VPN into my home network while away, so I leave all my servers and computers plugged in and running.

BamaVol

Well, it can happen twice. It did to my parents. We also had a strike in the neighborhood. It burned a hole in a roof 8 houses away, set off the alarm system in the home next door to me. I'm not sure a household surge protector will save your electronics from a direct hit, but might help if it's the neighbor's house. I also saw lightning hit a mobile home when I lived in FL. It was fully engulfed before the FD arrived and a complete loss. I've always viewed it as a remote possibility. Anyone know the odds of your home being struck in a year?

747LWW

Perhaps I am lazy, too pressed for time, etc., but the best I can do is unplug the computer.

Martinis at 8

No.

But if it's winter and we are both on travel, then we turn off the water at the street and drain the pipes.

M8

opus17

I've never even thought about unplugging anything when I'm gone. (Then again, we only see lightning every 5 years or so).