Eight Types of Lightning Damage that Can Happen to Your Home

Do you worry about how lightning damage can affect your home or property?  Is your home located in an area where there are frequent, severe thunderstorms?  Lightning strikes can occur anywhere.  When lightning strikes buildings and structures, it can cause extensive damage.  Your electrical systems, electronic appliances, and your roof are particularly vulnerable to lightning damage.  By taking the right precautions and preparing your home for storm damage, but damage is still possible.  As a property insurance claims attorney in Miami, FL, we help many homeowners that have suffered from lightning damage to make the repairs and replacements necessary.  There are a few types of damages that can occur to your home when lightning strikes your property.

Fires

Lightning is burning at roughly 50,000 degrees hot.  These high temperatures increase the likelihood of you suffering from fire damage if your home is hit by a lightning bolt.  When the lightning strikes your home, you may not immediately notice the fire.  It can typically occur inside the attic or inside the walls of your home, where the electrical wires are running.  Even if you can't see or smell the fire, you should contact the local fire department to alert them that your home has been struck by lightning.

Power Surges

Many homes are protected with some kind of surge protection or ground wiring that helps to prevent extensive damage from the power surges that are associated with lightning strikes.  However, this doesn't protect many of the electronics or appliances inside your home that aren't connected to that surge protection.  Using surge protectors and power strips provide a little more protection to your electronics, so their investment may be worthwhile if you live in an area that is prone to thunderstorms.

Roof Damage

A lightning bolt can be so powerful that it can actually cause damage to the structure of your roof.  It can puncture the roof, tear through the materials, and even damage the attic space.  If you keep belongings stored in your attic, they may be susceptible to being burned or destroyed if this occurs.   When the lighting strike is extremely powerful, it can even cause shingles and gutters to be ripped off the roof structure.  These damages can cause expensive repairs or even roof replacements, which are extremely expensive.  Insurance companies typically cover these damages, so you will want to check your insurance policy to ensure you have full coverage for storm damage.

Damaged Electronics

Electronics, appliances, and technology are often times the casualties of lightning strikes.  When lightning strikes your home, it may cause a power surge that destroys any electronics that are plugged directly into outlets.  TVs, computers, and kitchen appliances are among the most popular items that are damaged during storms.  In fact, these electronics can even be casualties of indirect lightning strikes.  When lightning strikes a power line near your home, it can travel through the wiring, destroying aspects of your home.  Be sure to keep a thorough list of any affected electronics that are damaged in storms.

Shock Waves

Have you ever seen a chimney that was struck by lightning?  These chimneys are typically cracked or broken in places, which is a result of the shock waves that lightning sends through many construction materials.  Lightning can damage brick, concrete, and stone with its shock waves.  It can also damage your walls and windows or even crack your foundation, compromising the structural integrity of your entire structure.  You will want to have your property fully assessed by a public claims adjuster in central Florida after your home is struck by lightning.

Burst Pipes or Leaks

When lightning strikes your home, it will likely travel through either the wiring or the pipes.  If it travels through your pipes, you can suffer from a cracked or broken pipe, which can lead to leaks or even burst pipes.  Depending on the location of the broken pipe, you can suffer from extensive water damage in your home.  When water damages your home, you will have to quickly remove any belongings to prevent further damage.  You will also want to contact your public claims adjuster in central Florida to begin the process of assessing damage for insurance claims purposes.

Tree Damage

When you have many trees on your property, you will likely be susceptible to damages that can occur if lightning strikes one of them when it rolls through your area.  Trees can often split down the middle when they are struck by lightning.  They may also lose large limbs, which can cause damage to any nearby structures.  Split or damaged trees will likely need to be removed from your property quickly to prevent any eyesores, infestations, and other hazards.

Injuries, Burns, and Even Death

When you are in your home during a lightning storm, you may actually be susceptible to personal injuries.  If you are exposed to a lightning strike, you can suffer from injuries that have a range of severity.  From shocks and minor burns to even death, you can be drastically impacted when you are struck by lightning.  To avoid any injury, you should avoid bathing, working on a computer, washing dishes, and playing video games when a storm passes over your home.  Although these injuries are not covered by your homeowners' insurance policy, your medical insurance will kick in to cover the costs of medical care you need.

These are a few of the damages that can occur to your home or property when lightning strikes.  If you suffer from lightning or storm damages, you will likely want to file an insurance claim to receive compensation to pay for necessary repairs and replacements.  When you have difficulty getting the compensation you deserve from your insurance company, you will want to hire the help of a property insurance claims attorney in Miami, FL.  Contact us and let us help you get the insurance settlement you deserve today.