Rain, Rain GO AWAY!

5/17/2020 (Permalink)

Having a stretch of days without rain in times of social distancing and quarantining make these times a little more bearable. Outside activities from walking to riding bicycles are needed to combat quarantine / cabin fever. Enjoy the outdoor activities but also be aware: as the humidity rises, along with temperatures, so does the threat of thunderstorms and lightning occurring unannounced. Do you know how to stay safe during these powerful storms? Is your home prepared for heavy rains and winds? What do you do in case of a lightning strike?

Staying safe during a thunder and lightning storm is staying away from windows or anything that will conduct electricity. Do not sit or lean on any metal objects such as window or door frames and stay away from concrete floors and walls because the concrete contains moisture. All these surfaces conduct electricity and can cause physical harm if lightning strikes your home.

A storm happening quickly and unexpectedly can catch people off guard but make sure all your windows and doors are closed and secure. These storms usually are accompanied by high winds and can blow doors open if they are not closed properly, leaving a large area for rain to blow into your home and cause damage.

The heavy rains can cause damage but lightning striking your home can cause extensive damage. The electricity from the strike will follow all paths that are conductive. The plumbing and electrical systems of homes are susceptible to lightning strikes. If lightning strikes your home but you do not see damage or fire, call the fire department immediately. Lightning will smolder behind walls or short out electrical systems and create a fire. Eventually the fire will make its way out of the rafters or from behind the walls and into the home creating extensive fire damage.

If you are on the unfortunate end of these storms, rest assured SERVPRO of White Plains and New Rochelle is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. We have decades of experience and training to get your home back to pre-storm condition. We can mitigate water damage, remediate mold and clean your home of fire,smoke and soot damage. We can also install all new materials as needed with our rebuild department. We will take care of you from start to finish.