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Get Your Home Ready to Avoid Wind Damages | SERVPRO® of Talladega, Clay & Randolph Counties
6/12/2023 (Permalink)
If you've suffered from storm-related damage to your home or business, make SERVPRO of Talladega, Clay & Randolph Counties your first call.
Wind: It’s one of those things that is ever-present in our lives even though we can’t see it. On a hot day, a cool breeze can feel like a sweet gift, but when wind gets strong, it can result in utter chaos.
Strong winds are most often associated with severe weather, but breezes can get high even when the skies are blue, leaving lives upturned and homes destroyed.
When you educate yourself about the different kinds of wind that might blow through your life, you can take action and prepare your home while you protect your family.
Most of the time when damage is reported to be the result of high winds, it is in combination with a thunderstorm. This kind of reported damage is even more common that tornadoes, and as thunderstorms are extremely common in Alabama, this isn’t a threat we can ever ignore.
Thunderstorms pack quite a punch with their variety of threats, but wind in even a mild storm can reach nearly 60 miles per hour. This strength of wind will quickly make debris fly around your yard.
Straight-line winds are any winds that are not associated with rotation, and they often result from strong thunderstorms. We have seen damage throughout Sylacauga and the rest of our communities from straight-line winds over the years. These winds often reach nearly 100 miles per hour and can span wide and far around the storm’s path.
Tornadoes can be a common occurrence in our area, and they truly don’t have a season. In January, several communities saw a tornado blow through and leave behind a path of damage. Tornadoes frequently come with straight-line winds, downdrafts, and both micro- and macro-bursts. Combined together, this creates destruction that unfortunately we are all too familiar with.
After a strong wind event, it is not uncommon to see downed trees, power-line damage and debris strewn about. When winds get higher than 80 miles per hour, they can even take down anchored mobile homes and cause roof damage on exterior buildings.
In order to stay proactive in prevention, familiarize yourself with the different weather alerts that might be issued when strong winds are moving through. You should also secure the outside of your home. Tie down porch furniture, move trash cans to an interior space and clean up any other loose items.
Trim your trees and bushes often, and have tall trees professionally maintained every few years. Clean up loose limbs in your yard, especially after a storm, to avoid potential flight risks during the next wind event.
With the amount of thunderstorms and tornadoes we see in our area, it’s likely you already know the safest spot to shelter in your home. Make sure it is wind-safe as well, though, with as few windows as possible.
After a storm or other wind event, walk your property as soon as it is safe to do so. Look at your roof line and gutter system to check for potential damages.
Call SERVPRO right away if you do have damage. We can respond quickly and stop any potential other damages that might start. It’s our goal to get your life back together fast.
Has your home been damaged by wind? Call us and get things cleaned up fast.