When Lightning Strikes: What You Don’t See Can Hurt You

A power outlet scroched from a lighting strike to my home.

It started with a few scorched electrical outlets and a TV that suddenly quit working. At first glance, that was the only visible damage from the lightning strike that hit our home. But what we couldn’t see was far more dangerous.

Immediately after the strike, we called Milestone Electric. They came out and found a few scorched outlets, the TV was out, and a few other items. They flipped all the electrical breakers back on that had tripped and told us everything was okay.

But "okay" can be misleading. What looks fine on the surface may be hiding serious risks.

When lightning strike investigators came in to assess the situation, they uncovered the true extent of the damage. Behind our walls were several compromised wires—silent threats that could have sparked fires or caused serious electrical failures down the line.

Burned wiring behind the wall from a lightning strike to my home.

The only safe solution? Rewire the entire house.

It was a massive undertaking, but absolutely necessary. Had we ignored the signs or trusted that “everything looked fine,” we could’ve faced catastrophic consequences. Electrical fires. System failures. Safety risks for our family.

This experience changed how I think about damage—and how I advocate for others. Because when it comes to your home, visible damage is only part of the story. What’s behind the walls matters just as much.

So if your home has been hit by lightning, don’t assume the worst is over because the lights still turn on. Get a full inspection. Demand transparency. And if your insurance company tries to downplay the risk, push back. You deserve to know what’s really going on—and you deserve to be protected.