Is Your Home Prepared in the Event of a Lightning Strike?

As summer storms bring their wrath down upon the state of Colorado, the fear of homes being struck by lightning increases. These lightning strikes can not only cause damage to your property but could also pose a threat to your family’s safety.

While many homeowners will ignore the effects that lightning could have on their households, the ones who have been struck in the past know that the subject isn’t one to be taken lightly. We would hate to see damage or injury inflicted upon you, so we’ve compiled a short list of tips to help keep you safe.

Recognize That Lightning Is Unpredictable

Many people will think they’re safe from the lightning that’s streaking across the sky because it’s far away. The truth is that lightning doesn’t have to be happening right above your house for you to be in danger. Lightning can strike straight down from where the storm is taking place, but it can also travel several miles. You don’t even have to be in the path of the storm for it to hit your home.

Keep Fire Extinguishers Nearby

Since lightning can strike with little to no warning, it’s important to be prepared in the event that a fire breaks out. Make sure that you have fire extinguishers nearby and that everyone in your household knows how to use them. The more quickly you can act, the less likely that injury or severe damage will occur to your home.

Have Your Home’s Wiring Professionally Checked

Faulty or damaged wiring can increase the likelihood of a fire breaking out if lightning was to strike your home. Although you should take care of wiring problems regardless of lightning storms, many homeowners neglect to do so. We suggest that you have your wiring professionally checked so that an electrician can evaluate the level of safety and advise you of any changes that must be done to keep your home and family safe.

Use Surge Protectors

Even if lightning doesn’t directly strike your house directly, lightning that hits the ground nearby can cause a surge of electricity. This surge can travel through your electrical outlets and into the power cords of any devices that are plugged in, which can fry your electronics. To protect these devices, either unplug them when not in use (especially during a lightning storm) or plug all of them into a surge protector, which is designed to prevent too much electricity from getting to your equipment.

Be Ready to Evacuate If a Fire Breaks Out

It goes without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway – it’s imperative that you have an evacuation plan in place! Everyone should know what to do, where to go, and how to evacuate safely in the event that a fire breaks out. You should also have a “go bag” already prepared with essentials that you might need. In fact, we recently wrote up a blog about creating a go bag for yourself… and also one for your pets.

Install a Lightning Protection System

Many homeowners aren’t even aware that a lightning protection system exists, but in areas with a high number of lightning strikes, they can be especially useful. What these systems do is redirect lightning from high points around your home and guide the electrical current safely to the ground. If you have experienced a lightning strike in the past or are fearful that one could occur, a lightning protection system should help you rest easy.

Damage to your home can result from a variety of elements. If you’ve experienced any type of damage, be sure to contact the professionals at Abbotts Fire & Flood immediately. Our team of repair and restoration experts have the know-how and equipment to get your life back on track.