Prepare Your Home for Windy Weather | SERVPRO® of Dublin/Vidalia/Claxton

6/5/2023 (Permalink)

If you've suffered from storm-related damage to your home or business, make SERVPRO of Dublin/Vidalia/Claxton your first call.

Wind can be a true gift when it whips around your body on a hot day, ruffling your hair and cooling you to the core. The wind is an ever-present force in our lives that even though we cannot see it we always know it is there—and sometimes that can mean it is there at the wrong time and in the wrong place.

Sure, wind is great on a hot beautiful day, but when winds become strong, they can upturn your life and destroy property in the blink of an eye. While most winds like these are often thought to come along with severe storms, wind can leave you devastated even when the sky is blue.

If you familiarize yourself with strong winds and the potential damages they might leave behind, you can keep your home and your family prepared in order to avoid total losses.

The Different Kinds of Wind

When damaging winds are reported they almost always come from a severe thunderstorm. Thunderstorms are incredibly common in our part of Georgia all year, which means we are susceptible to damaging winds during every season.

While your average thunderstorm can pack a variety of different punches, winds can easily reach and exceed 60 miles per hour when one blows through. That kind of wind speed can throw small debris around.

One of the most common kinds of damaging winds that originates from a thunderstorm is straight-line winds. These are winds that aren’t associated with rotation, but can still reach nearly 100 miles per hour, causing widespread damage even in outlying locations from where the storm went through.

We all know that tornadoes bring a huge threat to our area, and most of us likely remember the Mother’s Day tornadoes that were particularly damaging. Tornadoes carry quite a few different kinds of winds, all of which are strong and detrimental.

The winds most often associated with a tornado include downdrafts and micro- or macro-bursts. Together, these winds create a path of destruction and can take out anything near where they blow.

Wind Damage and Prevention

Some of the most common kinds of wind damage include knocked down trees and debris that has been thrown from one location to another. When winds reach over 80 miles per hour, mobile homes, even those that are anchored, can be damaged pretty severely.

Getting to know the different kinds of weather alerts that are associated with strong winds is one of the best steps you can take in protecting both your home and your loved ones. Taking care of loose objects that could become projectiles in strong winds is another great form of prevention. Permanently secure anything that stays outside, and have quick locations to stash anything else when winds are picking up.

Take care of the trees around your home as another way to stay protected. Trim loose limbs frequently, and consider bringing in a professional every couple of years in order to cut back tall trees. Clean up your yard after every storm to avoid any small objects being blown around next time the wind picks up.

If you haven’t already designated a safe spot in your home to ride out severe weather, take the time to do so with all of your family members. An interior room without windows is ideal, but if you do not have one investing in storm shutters can also help keep you safe.

After a wind event, walk your property. Check your roof line for gutters that may have been knocked out of place or shingles that may have shifted or are missing. Fix issues fast to avoid water damages, and call SERVPRO to tackle any damages that do occur. We will make sure everything is as good as new quickly so you can get back to living.

Has your home been damaged by wind? Call us and get things cleaned up fast.