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Be Prepared for the Destruction Caused by Lightning | SERVPRO® of Hershey/Swatara
9/20/2022 (Permalink)
If you are dealing with smoke or fire damage from a recent fire, call SERVPRO of Hershey/Swatara to learn about a restoration solution for your issue.
Homeowners work hard to protect their properties from flames by practicing fire safety and utilizing firefighting tools. While many interior fires are manmade and largely preventable, other house fires can start as a result of natural threats and can impact your home out of nowhere.
More than 70,000 damage claims resulting from lightning strikes were made in 2020. While it is actually very uncommon for a person to be struck by lightning, your property is considerably more prone to being hit. And when lightning does strike, it has the power to wipe out your electricity, destroy trees and even ignite a fire.
Approximately 6,000 lightning strikes are thought to occur per minute. This shows that nobody is truly immune to this danger and that every one of us needs to be ready to safeguard our homes and ourselves before a storm takes place.
Lightning is a massive flash of electricity that occurs among clouds in the air and on the ground. Thunderstorms aren’t the only cause of lightning, though. It can also strike during volcanic eruptions, strong wildfires and even intense snowstorms.
We relate lightning to dangerous weather, but it can also strike when the sky is completely clear. “Dry lighting” is produced without rain and poses a very significant danger because wildfires are created as a result. So, while we start to get ready for storms, we also need to think about fire safety.
When lightning strikes your home, fire may soon follow. Fires are a result of either the temperature of the strike or the electricity created by the strike.
It might not be immediately apparent when a fire begins as a result of the strike, as a lightning-related fire will typically erupt up in your attic or between your walls.
Listen for a distinctive, loud boom when the strike occurs. If you discover your home has been struck, look for indications of burning and call the fire department as soon as you detect black markings or smell smoke.
One of the most effective strategies to avert lightning-related fire is to install a lightning rod. This metal pole can direct the power of a lightning strike away from your house so that it is not directly affected by the heat and electrical current of the hit.
Lighting is a common culprit of wildfires and other outdoor flames. There are several “peak” seasons for lightning fires in various regions of the country, but on average, 9,000 fires are ignited by lightning strikes annually.
Clear your yard of any debris or decaying vegetation, and utilize a defensible zone to keep your property safe from the hazards of a lightning strike. Make sure to install a smoke alarm on every floor of your home so that if a fire breaks out, you will instantly be notified.
When your home is damaged by flames, contact our team of professionals at SERVPRO. Fire restoration can be a difficult process, but our team makes it quick and painless through years of expertise and the use of state-of-the-art technologies. We will get your home back to its pre-fire state as soon as we can.
Have you experienced smoke or fire damage in your home? Call us today to get the restoration finished fast.