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Don’t Let Lightning Threaten Your Home | SERVPRO® of Sioux Falls
9/20/2022 (Permalink)
If you are dealing with smoke or fire damage from a recent fire, call SERVPRO of Sioux Falls to learn about a restoration solution for your issue.
The proper fire safety equipment is essential to protecting your home and keeping your family safe. Home fires are typically preventable, but there are some risks that we can’t do anything about.
Lightning caused 70,000 insurance damage claims during the year 2020, and it can strike 6,000 times a minute. Protecting your home is crucial when you face such high risks.
Lightning is a surge of electricity between clouds in the air and the ground, and it always comes with thunder. Lightning usually comes with severe weather, but it can also occur during a forest fire, a volcanic eruption or even a snowstorm when it falls heavily enough.
Lightning is a threat in more events than just wet, severe weather. Dry lightning is a phenomenon that happens when there is no rain, which creates a scary situation as wildfires can easily result from a strike. No matter the time of year, it is wise to always be prepared.
If your home does take a strike, it can end up with a large amount of damage. A fire may begin within the walls or roof area due to the heat carried by the lightning, or a fire can start due to a surge through your wiring resulting from the bolt.
A fire may not immediately be noticeable, but you will hear the strike when it hits your home.
If a loud noise has occurred, start checking for black burn marks and smell for smoke. Call the fire department, and once they have been able to declare your home free of risks, let an electrician double-check that your wiring is safe so that you avoid the risks of future fires.
A solid form of protection for your home is a lightning rod. This pole can divert the energy and the heat from a strike into the ground, allowing it to avoid your home.
A surge protector for your entire house is another great preventive tool. This can be added to your utility box to protect your electronics, appliances and wiring from strikes.
Every year, there is an average of 9,000 wildfires due to lightning strikes. A wildfire that originates from lightning can burn hot and fast due to the incredible heat a strike has.
Check out if defensible landscaping zones are a good idea for the space around your home. This is strategically designed so that a fire is diverted away from your house if one were to start.
You should also clear out dead plants, which means cleaning up fall leaves quickly. Test your smoke detectors on a regular basis, too, and place one on every level of your house.
If you do experience a fire in your home, make a call to SERVPRO right away. We have the industry-leading equipment to handle every step of the fire restoration process. We are available 24⁄7 and want to get you back to your life as normal as soon as possible.
Have you experienced smoke or fire damage in your home? Call us today to get the restoration finished fast.