One of the most basic needs of every individual is shelter. When we talk about shelter, what is mostly being referred to is a house or a place of residence. Indeed, everyone should have this as no one should be left at the mercy of the sometimes-harsh elements.
However, a place is no shelter if there is no roof over your head, maybe, it is the reason why it is referred to as having a roof over your head? Point is, without a roof, you are still exposed as it still leaves you open to whatever and however the weather is. In places like Denver Colorado, that are prone to having hailstorms, getting a roof over your head has never been more important. It is also important to know what this phenomenon is and to know what to expect during this period and how to prepare against it.
What Is Hail?
It is a type of precipitation that occurs when water drops freeze up in the upper regions of the clouds during thunderstorms. It is important to note that hailstones are raindrops that got frozen as some might mistakenly assume it falls as solid matter. You can read more about it here.
Some parts of the world experience this occurrence more frequently than others and on certain occasions, it has been known to have resulted in fatalities. Countries like China and India do experience these happenings while certain parts of the United States particularly the Midwestern areas (like Denver for instance) also experience hailstorms. The question now is; if you live in those areas, what safety precautions should you take whenever hail falls?
This is what we will be addressing in this article.
Safety Precautions In Case You’re Caught in a Hail
Generally, if you live in a place like Denver, you probably know that these things happen from March through to August and you probably be listening to the weather reports to plan your day. However, you might be taken by surprise on a certain occasion where you are not prepared for it might be a newbie in the city. Whatever be the case, this is what to do:
Get Inside a Building
It does not matter whether you are near your house or not, get out from the road and find a shelter for yourself (and by a shelter what is meant is a roof). No matter how little the hailstorm is, it can cause serious injury.
Do Not Shelter Under Trees
If by any unlucky chance you are on the road and have not found a place to shelter yourself, do not make the mistake of going to shelter under a tree. The reason for this is because hailstorms are usually accompanied by thunder and lightning strikes which could go for the trees causing electrocution and even bring down whole trees.
Try to Protect Your Head
While you are still trying to get to a place of shelter, ensure that you cover your head with anything that you can find. This is because hail falling on your head can cause serious injury, it can even be fatal.
Always Listen to the Weather Channel
This helps you to prepare ahead of time against such happenings so that you do not get stranded when it happens. If you still go out, at least, you will go out better prepared to face the day. You can find out more at https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wkrn.com/weather-headlines/severe-weather/how-to-protect-yourself-during-a-hail-storm/amp/ .
Protecting Your House from Hail Damage
Aside from any unfortunate human casualty that occurs when hail falls, it is buildings that bear the brunt of hailstorms. When it falls, no matter how short it lasts, it leaves a trail of damage on property in its wake. The question now though is what can be done to protect your house from damage? The following are the things to do:
Fix the Existing Problems with Your House
It is an advisable and smart move to fix up any problematic area in your house or compound to ensure that it is in good shape before any occurrence. The reason for this being that though one cannot say that the house and compound are 100% hail safe, it is better that the hailstorm meets your house in good condition rather than coming to make worse an already bad condition. The results might just mean hazards that you did not know were there in the first place.
To achieve this, it is advised that you do the following:
- Regularly clean your drainage system, your gutters especially and ensure it is not blocked to prevent excess damage.
- Cover your outdoor furniture with blankets or hail tarps or if you can, move them indoors.
- Ensure that there are no trees with such proximity to your building such that any damage on it would affect your building.
- You can also put shutters in place as extra precaution as they prevent caused by broken glasses.
Know the State of Your Roof
As earlier stated, you cannot really be said to be sheltered or to have found shelter without having a roof over your head. Conversely, if the roofing of your house is in a poor state and therefore weak, you can still be prone to various damage from a hailstorm. This is the reason why you should ensure that:
- That the roofing of your house is in good shape with no leaks
- That the roofing materials are of very good quality as they will be put to test by the falling hail.
If you are not certain of the above conditions listed above, then you better check now and if there are challenges, engage a roofing company of repute around you to have it fixed. A strong roof ensures that other things in your house including you stays safe during a hailstorm.
Be Up to Date with Your Insurance Policy
Despite the safety measures that have been taken, accidents can still occur. Where they do occur and there is any damage, you will not have to worry as it will be covered by insurance.
Conclusion
There are natural phenomena that happen in the world that we cannot do anything about. These things have been happening from the beginning of time and would keep happening even after we are gone.
All individuals can do is take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones from being affected negatively. And this is done by preparing adequately for the hails to come.
