Updated: April 2024
Do you turn on the shower and feel an occasional buzz or shock through the faucet? Do you hear a humming sound coming from your bathroom pipes? A corroded joint or bad neutral could be affecting your plumbing.
At the rough-in time, it is essential to run pipes with enough volume and pressure so that many fixtures can be used simultaneously. Another plumbing code item is a pressure-balanced tub and shower valves. These single-handle valves balance the hot and cold water to maintain a temperature range of plus or minus 2 degrees.
Is It Dangerous?
Yes, being shocked in the shower due to a corroded joint or a bad neutral connection can be dangerous.
Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, and combining it with an electrical shock can result in severe injury or even death. These issues can lead to improper grounding or electrical leakage, increasing the risk of shock when electrical appliances or fixtures come into contact with water.
It’s important to address any electrical issues quickly to ensure that all electrical connections in your Fox Cities home — especially in wet areas like bathrooms — are properly maintained and up to code to prevent accidents.
Showing During Thunderstorms
It is also possible to get shocked when showering during a thunderstorm, so take precautions and avoid showering during bad weather.
Water pipes and plumbing fixtures in homes are often conductive, and if lightning strikes nearby, it can induce an electrical current that travels through these conductive pathways. You could become part of an electrical circuit when showering during a lightning storm and receive an electric shock.
To minimize the risk of being shocked during a Wisconsin thunderstorm, it’s best to avoid using electrical appliances or plumbing fixtures until the storm has passed. Additionally, it’s a good idea to install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in areas where water and electricity are present, such as bathrooms, to help protect against electric shocks.
Stay safe this spring and summer, and contact the professional plumbers at Watters Plumbing if you are unsure if ground fault circuit interrupters are installed in your home.
Contact the Watters Plumbing Professionals
If you have noticed a shocking sensation or buzzing water pipes while showering, contact the Fox Cities plumbing technicians at Watters Plumbing today. We can help you determine the source of the problem and prevent further damage to your bathroom plumbing. Contact us to get a quote today!
