The saying goes, “Lightning never strikes twice.” Yet, this is false. Lightning can strike twice and can even strike your home. Research shows that one out of 200 homes will be struck by lightning each year. This means that the odds of your home being struck by lightning are one in 280,000. Since this is somewhat of a rarity, here’s a rundown of what a lightning strike would do to your home and how to handle it:
What sort of damage happens during a lightning strike?
There are different types of lightning strikes and each of them causes different damage to your home. If a bolt of lightning hits and passes through your home it can cause a fire and charring. Lightning can strike nearby your home and cause damage to the power lines near your home and your electrical transformer. Lightning can also cause a ground surge which can affect the electricity and electronics within your home.
What happens after the damage is inflicted?
The worst-case scenario is when a bolt of lightning causes your house to ignite into flames. Homeowners should call 911 to determine that the fire is put out properly. Once the fire is no longer a threat, they should call their insurance company and take photos. The next person to call would be their home renovation expert. Some renovation experts specialize in storm damage and understand how quickly disasters like this need to be addressed. Home renovation experts will be able to pinpoint exactly what areas of the home need to be gutted and what areas need simple repairs. It’s best to have a professional look at the damage to make sure that you addressing all issues, even those that might be hidden deep within the house’s shell or after evident to the untrained eye.
How to minimize further damage
When it comes to fire damage, it’s important to leave all the clean-up to the professionals. Do not attempt to wipe down or wash fire remnants within your home. This could impact the fire damage recovery process that renovation experts follow. This tip is not obvious, but never consume food or drink that was inside during the fire. Similarly, do not use any appliances that haven’t been cleaned and inspected by a professional. You can open windows to help air out your home from the smoke. Finally, make sure to document all the damage and take photos of items are you forced to throw away for insurance purposes.
Lightning and fire damage are never easy disasters to deal with. Relieve some of your stress by getting a certified professional involved with clean-up. Take the time to properly clean-up the remnants of the disaster to prevent future problems from cropping up.