Tornadoes can occur at any time or place, given that specific atmosphere conditions are in place for supercell thunderstorms to thrive. Oklahoma is well known for being at the center of tornado alley, a strip of the country that is prone to having severe weather during the spring and summer months. During these months, damage to homes and property can occur due to the severe weather. While not all storms produce tornadoes, other elements of severe weather can threaten life and damage property. These risks include hail damage, flooding, high winds and lightning causing fires or Tulsa Electrical damage.
To be classified as a severe storm, winds must be in excess of 55 mph, hail must be one inch in diameter, or a tornado must be present in the thunderstorm. However, these are not the only ways that a storm can cause damage to a person’s home or business. Rain and lightning also pose a threat.
Whether winds are moving in a straight line or rotating, the damage caused by this type of event can be costly. While many people believe that tornado damage is the cause of most wind damage, straight-line winds can cause similar destruction. Roof damage is most common due to loss of shingles, downed trees and power lines.
Hail forms when wind currents are strong enough to lift raindrops repeatedly into the upper parts of the storm causing them to freeze. The larger hailstones develop because of the stronger wind currents. Once the hailstone becomes too heavy for the current to lift it back into the storm, the stones drop causing vehicle damage, window damage and even roof damage.
On a yearly basis, Oklahoma typically averages approximately 52 tornadoes. According to the National Severe Storm Laboratory, supercell thunderstorms are just one percent of the total number of storms that form yearly. Tornadoes have a 20 percent chance of forming from these types of storms. While the damage path of most tornadoes is less than a mile or two, the tornado damage can be extensive, depending on the strength of the tornado.
Flooding and Water Damage
Water damage is one of the most overlooked types of storm damage. Many homes and businesses deal with rain damage because of events that happen during the storm, such as tree limbs damaging the roof. Also, water damage can cause vehicles to be totaled because too much water flooded the interior or engine. Roadways are even at risk of rain damage because of the development of sinkholes. The motorist who drive through flooded streets cannot see the sinkholes due to high waters will damage their vehicles.
Cloud to ground lightning is one of the most dangerous parts of a storm because of the unpredictability of where it will strike. A lightning bolt can occur up to ten miles outside a thunderstorm. Fire is the most obvious cause of concern. However, electrical currents can travel through the ground into the electrical system of a building. Also, the currents can run can damage plumbing fixtures from the currents traveling through them.
The best way to protect property against storm damage is to have the proper insurance. Insurance companies will assess the property damage and will pay the owners money to have the proper restoration done to their property. They will even cover the costs to replace specific items in the home or business. The costs of restoration and replacements can add up quickly; therefore, having different types of insurance to cover multiple types of storm damage is an excellent way to be prepared for storm season.
If your friends, family and neighbors have had significant storm damage to homes or businesses you can contact Reset Restoration 24/7 to inquire about storm damage restoration services. Call Reset Restoration today at (918) 582-7373.
If your Tulsa home or business has suffered significant storm damage, please contact Reset Restoration today and request a free quote on storm damage restoration. Follow Reset Restoration on Facebook!