lightning storm

Thank you for your responses. Much appreciated and I will be turning everything off and disconnecting in the future.

How is "electronic rust" detected and repaired?

Storms can cause slight shifts in ground potential, which may temporarily aggravate grounding issues, causing hum or static. If you only heard static during a storm but it went away afterward, it was likely due to temporary EMI or line noise.

BTW, Electronic Rust has nothing to do with lighting or thunderstorms. It is an informal term often used to describe corrosion or degradation of electronic components or circuit board traces, typically caused by moisture, oxidation, or chemical contaminants. It’s not actual rust (iron oxide), but it behaves similarly by slowly damaging the delicate metal pathways that allow electricity to flow.

First question  unplugging it is a good idea ,but 2 nd what are you using 

for a line conditioner, Surge protector ? You Donot want anything that uses MOVs

they totally destroy your current capabilities  and should be avoided ,

and you should have Copper - plated recepticle ,for cheap brass oxydizes

try cleaning out a recepticle. 

Once again, I urge all Agoner's to invest in a whole house surge protector, when possible.

@jea48 , nice to see you here. I have always appreciated your knowledge of all things electrical.

bob