Winter Storm Lightning Strikes Can Damage Phoenix Homes

2/7/2022 (Permalink)

Living in Arizona, we are no strangers to severe storms that are also known as monsoons. In addition to heavy rains and high winds, lightning can cause a real threat. However, monsoon season isn’t the only time we experience lightning strikes. Severe pop-up storms happen in winter as well, and the danger of lightning strikes is just as real. Lightning strikes are exceptionally dangerous as they can result in fire damage to your home. Learn more about how lightning strikes pose fire damage, how to prepare, and what to do if it happens to you.

When does Phoenix experience lightning?

July, August, and September are when Arizona experiences most of its thunderstorm activity, but lightning can occur with storms any month of the year. According to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) lightning causes over 22,000 fires each year.

Preparing and protecting your home from lightning

There are some steps you can take to protect your home from lightning strikes. Use a home lightning protection system. This can include lightning rods, main conductors, grounds, bonds, or surge protectors. This may keep any damage to a minimum. During a lightning storm, unplug electronics and appliances. Install surge protectors/surge suppressors to protect computers and other appliances. Be sure to check your insurance policy to make sure you have coverage for damage caused by lightning.

If your home experiences a lightning-caused fire

After any fire, your primary focus should be safety first. Here are a few tips from SERVPRO to keep you safe while you wait for fire remediation specialists to show up:

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery, and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with a light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of the leaves.
• Change HVAC filter.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

Once the pros at SERVPRO of East Phoenix show up, recovery begins! We offer a range of effective restorative tactics, including debris removal and emergency board up or tarping by our contracting division. Our licensed contractors can also oversee the reconstruction and renovation of your property once fire mitigation is complete. Our technicians focus on every damaging effect throughout your property from air quality concerns to soot, smoke residue, and odor removal. We offer comprehensive restoration to make the process more efficient and cost-effective for our customers.

If you experience a lightning strike, call SERVPRO

SERVPRO of East Phoenix is available 24/7 to help if you experience a home fire as a result of lightning. Our IICRC Certified technicians have years of experience and the training to handle any fire damage situation.  Call us at 602-507-6163 to help you recover from a lightning fire in your home. We’ll get you on the path of recovery as quickly as possible!