SERVPRO of Barrington/North Schaumburg Cleans Up Damage from Lightning in Hoffman Estates

Types of Lightning Damage

Lightning strikes cause billions (yes, “billions”) of dollars worth of property damage every year in the United States.

The core temperature of a lightning strike is an astounding 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s no mystery how lightning strikes cause fires.

The heat from lightning can cause destruction even without touching a structure or object. For example, lightning strikes have vaporized water inside trees without striking them. The steam makes the trees explode, and the debris can damage property.

Lightning can travel through pipelines and wiring, burning or melting the materials, causing even more damage. It may also cause electrical surges that break appliances, which can produce smoke that damages structures and other materials.

It also produces shock waves that can fracture brick, roof or floor tiles, concrete, and marble.

Indirect damage includes fallen trees and power outages, both of which open buildings to water or wind damage.

What SERVPRO of Barrington/North Schaumburg Does to Remediate Damage

Technicians earn certifications in various cleaning and remediation techniques. We will:

• Remove scorch marks from textiles, such as clothing, upholstery, carpet, and rugs
• Remove scorch marks from stone, steel, wood, and other durable materials
• Clean and disinfect materials damaged by soot or smoke
• Eliminate all odors
• Check the HVAC system and ducts for smoke, scorch marks, or soot – all can continue to damage property and produce odors if not cleaned, so we provide cleaning and disinfecting services
• Replace damaged carpet
• Repair (if possible) damaged tiles (linoleum, wood, LVT, or marble)
• If repair is not possible, we install flooring
• Replace damaged or missing roof tiles or shingles
• Extract water, if necessary
• Replace drywall
• Clean furniture, including upholstery
• Clean window coverings (blinds, curtains, drapes)
• Clean smoke-damaged electronics
• Dry water-damaged documents
• Clean smoke-damaged appliances and other objects

If a Barrington home or business needs a service that is not listed above, just ask us; we have expertise in many types of restoration.

Take-Home Messages

Contrary to the old saying, lightning can strike the same place twice, so if lightning strikes cause damage to Hoffman Estates property, invest in lightning rods or other protective systems. Better yet, invest in protection from lightning strikes before the next storm.

For restoration from lightning damage, call SERVPRO of Barrington/North Schaumburg at 847-526-0090. We will do whatever is possible to make the damage look “Like it never even happened. ”