Severe Thunderstorms and Your Home

Damage to your home from severe thunderstorms can occur from lightning, hail, high winds, even tornadoes or flash flooding. Prepare your home before the storm, to minimize the impact.

Before a Severe Storm

• Pick a safe place in your home to gather during a thunderstorm.
  • This should be a place where there are no windows, skylights, or glass doors, which could be broken by strong winds or hail and cause damage or injury.
• Identify potential hazards on your property.
  • Know how to turn off electrical power, gas and water supplies.
  • Secure unstable materials that are outside your home (e.g., patio furniture, fuel tanks).
  • Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage.
• Prepare your home.
  • Shutter windows and secure outside doors.
  • Keep your roof clean and free of debris regularly and check for loose shingles or leaks on a regular basis.
  • Make sure there is proper drainage around your home to help reduce the possibility of flooding.
  • Consider having a lightning protection system installed.
  • Install surge protectors to protect electronic equipment.
• Safeguard your possessions.
  • Create a room-by-room inventory of your possessions, include receipts and photos.
  • Keep these lists in a secure place (e.g., safe deposit box).
  • Review your insurance coverage.

During a Severe Storm

• Stay informed.
  • Listen to the radio or television about the situation.
• If a WATCH is issued – Seek shelter immediately.
• Avoid hazards in your home.
  • Avoid corded telephones and metal; telephone lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity.
  • Unplug appliances and other electrical items such as computers and turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage to equipment.
  • Draw blinds and shades over windows to prevent glass (if high winds break the windows) from shattering into your home.

After a Severe Storm

• Assess the situation.
  • Check the area for downed power lines; if found, notify your electric company immediately.
  • Check for power outages.
• Cleanup safely.
  • During cleanup, wear sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves, and gloves to protect your body from injury.
  • Stay away from downed power lines and report
  • them immediately.
  • Be aware of hazards that may cause injury to you or others cleaning up (e.g., chain saws, electrical or chemical hazards).
  • Clear broken tree branches away, but use caution, downed or damaged power lines can send electrical currents through tree branches and metal fences.