When Lightning Strikes Your Home | SERVPRO® of Alamo Heights and Downtown San Antonio

9/20/2022 (Permalink)

If you are dealing with smoke or fire damage from a recent fire, call SERVPRO of Alamo Heights to hear about a restoration solution for your issue.

With proper preparation and responsibility, most home fires are preventable. But when the fire risk originates outside in the form of a wildfire or a lightning strike, it can be much harder to predict and prevent.

Lightning damage to homes is actually relatively common. In 2020 alone, 70,000 homeowners reported damage to their homes due to lightning. While your risk of getting personally struck by lightning is still rare, your home might not fare as well.

<h3does-lightning-come-from">Where Does Lightning Come From?

Lightning is the reaction caused by a strong electrical current that travels from the clouds down to the earth. While the majority of lightning occurs during strong thunderstorms, did you know that lightning can also occur during extremely hot forest fires and even heavy snow storms or blizzards?

<h3happens-when-lightning-hits-your-home">What Happens When Lightning Hits Your Home

If you are unlucky enough to have your home struck by lightning, it may cause a spark large enough to start a fire. Even though you will most likely know that something happened due to the incredibly loud sound associated with lightning strikes, you may not immediately see flames if the fire starts in your attic or within your walls.

One of the most effective ways to help deflect the power of a lightning strike is to install a lightning rod. They work by redirecting the incredible electrical power a lightning strike carries, reducing the impact of the strike on your home.

Also try to unplug as many electronics as you are able to before a storm to prevent a large electrical surge from ruining your TV, computers or gaming systems.

<h3and-wildfires">Lightning and Wildfires

Even if you are able to avoid a direct hit on your home, a nearby fire from a lightning strike can still be a risk if it is not contained quickly. If our area is particularly dry or the surrounding vegetation is brittle, a fire can get out of control quickly.

Lightning fires burn incredibly hot and fast, so they can become a large fire if they cannot be contained right away.

Do your best to keep your yard as tidy as possible to give a fire less to consume as it burns. Clear any dead brush and grass and consider surrounding your home with landscaping to give your home a buffer from an incoming blaze.

If a fire starts in or near your home, your first call should be to 911 and then exit your home as soon as possible. Once you are cleared to re-enter your home, then you should call us to come out to start your restoration process.

Our team at SERVPRO of Alamo Heights and Downtown San Antonio knows how to best tackle your project, and we are passionate about helping the people in our community.

Have you experienced smoke or fire damage in your home? Call us today to get the restoration finished fast.