Fully Prepare Your Home for the Event of a Tornado By living in the infamous “tornado alley� region of the United States, people in Oklahoma City are typically aware and prepared for the potential danger of a tornado. They have often times lived through such an event and have possibly even taken precautions that has saved their property from incurring damage during such an event as a tornado. But for those who are less experienced of less informed, there are several tips and tricks or methods of preparedness that people living in Oklahoma City can take to sufficiently prepare and ready their homes to mitigate potential damages from the occurrence of tornados.
The Destructive Forces of an Oklahoma City Tornado First is to understand that there is more damage that can be done to a home or residence than destructive wind damages brought on by the force of the tornado. While this destructive force needs to be prepared for, it is important to understand that there are more potential hazards lurking from a tornado than only that damage brought on through massive winds. As a tornado takes its destructive path through a region, it can cause severe damage to utilities and power providers. This means the bursting of water pipes, the downing of electrical lines and the potential for igniting fires through ruptured gas lines and electrical sparks. These hazards should not be over looked when preparing and planning for a tornado. Water damage in Oklahoma City can be incurred immediately following a tornado due to the bursting of water pipes in a home as well as main sewer and water lines operated by the city itself. Water damage in Oklahoma City should therefore be mitigated by proper planning and preparedness on the part of the property owner. Have emergency flooding equipment in hand and ready to use in the event of a tornado caused flood of any level. These types of equipment could include ready access to sandbags that can be used to stem or redirect approaching flood waters away from a person’s property and possessions. A water pump in the basement may also be a helpful tool to have on hand to begging immediately to recover and reduce the damage done by flood waters entering a home or for removing existing flood waters from a home that have been brought on by internal water pipes bursting within the home.
The Dangers of Fire Damage Fire damage can also be incurred upon a home during or immediately following a devastating tornado. These fires can originate or ignite from gas lines being ruptured or from downed electrical power lines causing excessive electrical sparks that have the potential to ignite house fires.
Additionally, if there is damage sustained to the home, internal electrical wiring can cause a fire to ignite when damaged. To prevent these tornado-induced fires from causing extensive damage to your home, be prepared with fire extinguishers on hand and by shutting off the electricity to your home in the event of a tornado. By being aware and prepared for unseen or previously unexpected water and fire damage resulting from a tornado a family can be in a better position to mitigate potential property losses due to these hazards.