Prevent Wind Damage With Preparation | SERVPRO® of Sioux Falls

6/5/2023 (Permalink)

If you've suffered from storm-related damage to your home or business, make SERVPRO of Sioux Falls your first call.

When the weather is warm and the sun is bearing down, is there anything better than a cool breeze whipping through your hair? Wind is one of those things that we know is always there, whether we want it to be or not.

A cool breeze can be a sweet gift on a hot day, but when wind gets strong, it can quickly become very destructive. Most of the time strong winds are associated with severe weather, but even on a blue sky day, gusts can pick up enough to leave behind damages.

The more you get to know about what wind can do, the more steps you can take to protect and prevent damages on your property.

The Different Kinds of Wind

Most of the time when wind damage is reported, it is associated with thunderstorms. Sioux Falls may not experience a lot of thunderstorms, but it is still not a threat we want to take lightly.

Thunderstorms are particularly damaging because they come with so many different threats. Winds in a thunderstorm can reach close to 60 miles per hour, and at that speed, debris in your yard will quickly become airborne. When thunderstorms roll through our community, derecho wind storms often come with them. These are long-lasting wind storms that can create a lot of chaos.

Derecho storms can knock out power, take down trees or even lead to dust storms. Even without a strong thunderstorm or snow storm, when the wind picks up in our area, there is a strong chance of damage being left behind.

Another kind of wind we often experience in this part of South Dakota is “straight-line wind.” These are winds that are not associated with rotation that can reach nearly 100 miles per hour. Straight-line winds can be far-reaching, leaving behind damages in areas that did not experience any other parts of a storm.

Tornadoes are another storm that comes with quite a few threats, including a wide variety of winds.

Downdrafts, straight-line winds and bursts of winds called micro- and macro-bursts are all common when a tornado forms. All of these combined often leave a complete path of destruction for anything near it.

Wind Damage and Prevention

Common kinds of wind damage include knocked-over trees, damage to power lines and projectile debris. When the wind gets higher than 80 miles per hour, it can even take out anchored but non-permanent structures like outbuildings and mobile homes.

In order to protect both your home and your family, familiarize yourself with the different kinds of weather alerts that might be issued when wind is getting strong. Strap down loose objects around your home as well, securing things permanently that you can’t move indoors.

Trim the trees in your yard as often as you are able, and schedule professional maintenance of your tall trees every five to 10 years in order to prevent the possibility of downed trees during strong winds. Clear your yard from loose limbs often, as well as anything else that could become a projectile.

Identify an interior room inside your house where you can shelter away from windows when a warning is issued. Consider shutters for your windows if your home doesn’t already include them.

After the winds have eased and it is safe to do so, walk your property to look for damage. Call SERVPRO night or day if you spot any, particularly on your roof. We can respond quickly so you avoid additional damages from water or snow.

Has your home been damaged by wind? Call us and get things cleaned up fast.