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The Fire Hazard Created by Lightning | SERVPRO® of Westfield
10/20/2022 (Permalink)
If you are dealing with smoke or fire damage from a recent fire, call SERVPRO of Westfield to learn about a restoration solution for your issue.
House fires are devastating, but thankfully, most of them are preventable because they’re related to manmade causes. But while house fires are typically manmade, there are also natural threats that could damage your home—and they’re less preventable.
In 2020 alone, there were over 70,000 damage claims brought on by lightning strikes. Since personal lightning strikes are a rather uncommon occurrence, you don’t need to worry too much about getting hit, but your house is considerably more susceptible. When lightning strikes, it’s capable of destroying trees, blowing out your power and even starting fires.
About 6,000 lightning strikes are thought to occur every minute. We should all be prepared to defend our properties and ourselves before a storm approaches because no one is entirely safe from lightning’s impact.
Lightning is a huge bolt of electrical current that occurs between clouds in the air and the ground. Lightning is known to strike during thunderstorms, but it can also happen during a volcanic eruption, severe wildfires or even a major snowstorm.
We typically relate lightning to extreme weather, but it can strike even when the sky is clear and the air is calm. “Dry lightning” happens in the absence of rain and is a common cause of raging wildfires. As we prepare for storms, we also need to consider the possibility of fires.
Lightning can substantially damage your home, especially if it sparks a fire. Fires can spark from either the heat of the strike or the electrical charge created by the strike.
It’s possible that a fire that results from a strike won’t be instantly obvious as it will usually ignite between your walls or up in your attic. But you are likely to hear the lightning strike, which will sound like an explosive boom. Inspect for burning after the strike, and notify the fire department as soon as you spot black stains or smell smoke.
A lighting rod is a helpful tool that can keep lightning from sparking flames. Installing a lighting rod could help direct the heat and energy of a strike away from your home and straight down into the ground.
Lighting is a leading cause of wildfires and other fires that spark outdoors. Your risk of lightning fires is influenced by both where you live and the season, but close to 9,000 fires are created by lightning strikes every year.
Maintain a tidy yard clear of dead or dying plants, and think about utilizing defensible zones to shelter your house from flames. Your home should also include smoke detectors on every floor and in every bedroom so you can be aware of any flames that start.
If you’re facing the aftermath of a fire, our SERVPRO team can take care of the damage. With years of experience and the use of innovative techniques, we strive to make stressful situations like this quick and painless. We will keep you updated every step of the way as we restore your home to its pre-fire state.
Have you experienced smoke or fire damage in your home? Call us today to get the restoration finished fast.