Straight-line winds are intense, localized gusts of wind that can cause extensive damage to homes and other structures. Straight-line winds can exceed 100 mph and can cause a wide variety of damage, including broken windows, roof damage, and structural damage. Knowing how to recognize the threat that straight-line winds pose to your home and understanding how to protect your home can help you to minimize the risk of damage. Here are some of the threats posed by straight-line winds to your home:
Roof Damage
Straight-line wind can cause direct damage to your home’s roof by blowing off and carrying away shingles and other pieces. The framing underneath the roof can also be affected by these large and fast-moving gusts. Furthermore, if not properly secured to the rest of the structure, the roof itself can be lifted off along with anything resting underneath it. Some states, for example, Texas, are more likely to experience straight-line winds. To ensure your roof is protected, you may consider hiring someone with expertise in roofing in Round Rock, TX, so they can inspect your roof and ensure its well-being.
Windows Damage
Straight-line winds can cause severe damage to your home’s windows, causing them to break, shatter, and fly off their base. Not only can that present a threat to anyone standing near the window, but it also allows wind and water to get into the house itself. If a window breaks, the glass can fall out in larger pieces. These pieces are more dangerous due to their larger size and are known to cause injury or even death when they fall on unsuspecting people. When you have straight-line winds that threaten your windows, it is best to keep all people away from windows until professional emergency services come through after the storm has passed.
Shingle Damage
Straight-line winds can easily lift off the shingles of homes. The shingles usually stay attached to the roof, but if they become unhinged, they can become projectiles and cause damage to anything they hit. Not only can they cause damage to whatever they hit, but if enough are on the ground after the storm passes, it becomes slippery and increases the chances of people slipping and falling. That is why anyone in an area that could be affected by straight-line winds must ensure their roof is secure before any storms set in.
Wiring and Electrical Damage
These winds can also come with lightning, which can cause damage to a home’s wiring and electrical system. The high winds, combined with any swelling of the power lines and wires themselves due to water or other factors, may cause an electrical surge that damages the system and all of the home’s equipment. If a surge causes the power to go out, it could also damage the small wires and electrical outlets within the home. Knowing how to protect your home from such a risk is important in case a storm rolls through without warning.
Damages to Trees
Straight-line winds can pull trees off their trunks and up into the air and can cause damage to the trunks themselves. If a tree is already close to the ground, it could be pulled out of the ground and into a neighboring house or yard by the wind. If not, it could get lifted off of its roots and snap in half, causing serious damage to both your home and garden. A tree can also become one of many projectiles during straight-line winds as they are lifted into the air by strong gusts of wind. These projectiles are dangerous in their own right, but if they happen to come down toward your home, they can cause damage similar to a rock or other object falling from great heights.
Bottom Line
Straight-line winds often leave disaster in their wake, causing extensive property damage and posing a serious threat to human lives due to falling wreckage and flying objects. The effects of straight-line winds can be more severe depending on the strength of the winds, their location, and the amount of time that passes before they subside. It is essential that those living in areas that could be affected understand this threat.
Categories: Real Estate And Home Talk Stuff
