Top 3 Items That Cause the Most Storm Damage to a Property

6/7/2023 (Permalink)

Top 3 Items That Cause the Most Storm Damage to a Property, and how SERVPRO® can help.

With weather conditions getting more extreme in all parts of the world, storm damage is becoming a reality for more people than ever before. High-speed winds and water are the main threats that we face, but they are not the only ones. The problem is that these elements can cause further damage, such as fires, flooding, electricity sparks and shorts, and damage to property. 

Here are some of the main threats you should watch out for.

Wind 

Wind is a threat in the form of hurricanes and tornadoes, but it can also be a problem during extremely heavy rain and snow. During a level one storm, the wind can be around 70 MPH, and in a category 4 hurricane, it can be over 150 MPH. In either of these cases, it can be devastating for a property. 

In most cases, the wind draft gets into the house through leaks in the doors and windows and can tear the roof of the building. Moreover, cars and other belongings that are left outside can be picked up by the wind and thrown around like dry leaves. 

Trees, telephone poles, or other smaller buildings around your house are also a risk. Poles and trees can break and fall on your roof, on a fence, or on a car. Windows, doors, and even entire parts of other buildings around your property can also be blown off by the wind and can come crashing into your property. 

One of the best things to do in this case is to properly insulate your property. Getting doors and windows that can withstand such winds will be very useful. Alternatively, you can also build a specialized underground bunker for your safety. This is very common in hurricane-prone areas, and it is the best solution for this problem. 

Hail

Snow can also be tough to handle, but hail is even worse. It can easily break glass windows, severely damage vehicles and property, and can even break roofs and damage entire structures. 

If you have vehicles parked outside often, the only solution is to get some covered parking space. You can get some covers for the vehicles, but they are not as effective. 

Hail can break and damage things like telephone wires, electricity cables, or solar plates. This is why it is extremely important that these components of the infrastructure are routinely inspected and that they are in good condition. Things in bad condition will easily break in a hail storm, which can lead to further complications. 

Water 

Water damage to homes because of rain is also a very common issue. This is problematic in homes that have a crawl space and a basement. The standing water is often hard to detect, and over time, it can seep into the foundations and the skeleton of the structure. This causes deep-rooted instability in the building and can cause the entire structure to come down. 

Water damage will impact everything from cement to wood to steel. As it seeps into the building, it will damage all the materials it comes into contact with. Not to mention, it can also lead to short circuits and fires because of electric issues. 

Conclusion

If you are looking to secure your home from these issues, then the best option is to have experts such as the team from SERVPRO® look at the property and help you develop a plan. This way, you will know about the weak areas of your house and better understand what kinds of storms you need to prepare for. From there, you can choose to do it yourself or get the professionals from SERVPRO to help you out in securing your home from the damage caused by storms.