Memorize These Safety Tips Regarding Summer Storms | SERVPRO® of Garden Grove East/Anaheim Central

2/19/2021 (Permalink)

Longer days and higher humidity means that thunderstorms are far more likely to break out—and even if they are just quickly passing showers, they should be taken seriously.

Any storm that produces thunder also produces lightning and can lead to hail and high winds, so understanding how to stay safe no matter where a storm catches you can help you protect yourself.

Stay Safe From Summer Storms Anywhere

Know your options for shelter. If you are at home and know that a storm is on the way, staying put is generally your best bet for staying safe. Unfortunately, that will not always be the case. If you are out and about when a storm draws near, your car is not a bad place to take shelter as long as you park safely, turn off the engine and avoid touching metals in the vehicle.

Practice electrical safety. Lightning will often travel through a building’s wires as it heads toward the ground, creating a power surge that can travel up the cords of anything that is plugged in. To avoid damage to your electronics and the harmful sparking that can result, install surge protectors at home and in your office space and unplug things entirely if you have time.

Avoid direct contact with concrete. While it may feel like a concrete structure is the safest place you can be, concrete poses its own hazards despite being extremely structurally sound. Most concrete for floors and walls is poured around metal bracing materials, so concrete can actually disperse an electrical charge if struck by lightning. Avoid touching concrete if possible during a storm.

Stay indoors for at least 30 minutes. When your summer fun is interrupted by a thunderstorm, you will want to get back to what you were doing as soon as the skies clear. However, experts recommend waiting at least a half hour before you resume any activities to be on the safe side, as lightning has been known to strike as much as 25 miles away from the storm clouds.

If your home sustains damage due to a storm, you can count on us to help. Contact us at any hour to learn more about our storm restoration process.