The areas at the highest risk for this severe weather are portions of southwest Iowa, the Twin Cities area in Minnesota, southwest Missouri, northern Kentucky, the mid-section of Indiana and southern Ohio. Low pressure along the Northern Plains – Canadian border is the cause of this unsettled weather pattern that is going to kick up some real springtime fierce weather, which is typical during the month of May for this part of the country.

People living in the Upper Midwest should remember that a severe thunderstorm warning is put into affect whenever there’s a strong possibility for hail one inch or larger in diameter and damaging winds which are 60 miles per hour or greater. When a tornado watch is issued, it means that the conditions are right for tornadoes to develop so it is important to be attentive as a tornado watch can very quickly be turned into a warning. A tornado warning means that a tornado has been sighted nearby and that it’s necessary to take cover.

This pasty Saturday, a severe thunderstorm rolled into St. Louis and produced such strong winds that a tent was blown down near Busch Stadium, killing one person and injuring at least 100 more. Doppler radar showed that storms moving through the area at the time had wind gusts of over 50 miles per hour. This should be a reminder that severe thunderstorm warnings should be taken very seriously as the worst thunderstorm can bring with it dangerous lightening, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.

The severe thunderstorms which are predicted for the Midwest could develop toward evening Tuesday. People living in areas which have severe thunderstorm watches/warnings in effect should keep a look out for severe weather. Forecasters are saying that the biggest risks of these storms will be strong, damaging winds and very large hail. The hail could be the size of baseballs or larger due to a fair amount of cold air that’s aloft. Damaging hail the size of softballs fell over portions of the Midwest last weekend – wreaking havoc on siding, roofs and vehicles so this forecast should not be taken lightly.

overview of homes damaged by tornadoes in dallas texas

Clean-up efforts began in Texas Tuesday after six to twelve twisters tore through the Dallas-Fort Worth area, leaving a path of destruction behind. Semi-trucks were thrown into the air like toys, airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights and many homes were damaged or destroyed. South of Dallas in Lancaster, many homes lost their roofs and some were torpedoed by airborne two-by-fours. In total, around 300 homes and buildings sustained damaged there, according to the city’s mayor’s office. The city was put on curfew Tuesday night to guard against looting and at least one temporary shelter opened its doors for victims of the bad weather.

More than 46,000 homes and businesses were left without power after the storm. At least two of the tornadoes were large and especially violent. The National Weather Service reported that once survey teams have assessed the damage, more accurate information will be made available regarding the number of tornadoes which struck Texas and their strength.

Overturned vehicles left many Dallas area streets and roadways unnavigable. Many semi trucks were completely flattened and left to clog the shoulders of highways. At least twelve people were injured during the violent weather with two of the victims being reported in serious condition. A nursing home in Dallas was struck by a twister – taking out an entire wing. Two residents were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Nursing home workers managed to move patients away from the windows and into hallways, keeping them safe from shattering glass.

Local television footage showed several homes in one Dallas County neighborhood without roofs while others were completely flattened. Building material was strewn on lawns and draped across roofs. Residents could be seen walking on the streets with rescue workers, peering into houses to see the shocking damage the storm caused. The city of Forney, which is about twenty miles east of Dallas was hit hard by Tuesday’s tornadoes. Residents there reported that they felt a “suction” as the twister struck hit their homes – shattering windows and ripping off roofs. Several residences in Forney were totaled with walls and entire sides of houses buckling under the intensity of the storm.

The tornadoes struck Texas just as the National Weather Service was testing new tornado warning lingo in portions of “Tornado Alley”. The new warnings are designed to grab attention and tell people how severe the approaching storm could be. Words like “mass destruction”, “catastrophic” and “unsurvivable” are among the new phrases being tested. Tornado season in Texas runs from April through June. After Tuesdays outbreak of storms, the National Weather System said that the state could expect to see a “very active” tornado season.

The Dexter subdivision of Huron Farms was in the tornado’s bulls-eye. Up to seventy homes there were either flattened or severely damaged. This morning, officials were on the scene inspecting the damages as were residents and work crews who were sifting through the rubble looking for valuables. The 100 or so homes which were damaged were all valued at around $235,000. The tornado most likely caused millions of dollars worth of damages. A disaster relief crew of construction workers is on the scene today working to weatherize and secure homes as several houses lost their roofs and all of their windows.

Fire officials from several surrounding communities are also on hand to inspect the dozens of homes in Dexter for any unseen structural damages. Affected residents are being asked not to rush in to their homes until crews can stabilize or take down potentially dangerous walls and other rubble. There is a real danger that some of the badly damaged homes could collapse.

Gas lines to damaged homes were also turned off yesterday evening as several residents reported smelling gas. Detroit Edison is reporting that there are up to 2000 homes and businesses in the area still without power today. The large storm system downed hundreds of trees and powerlines throughout the area. People without power are being asked to be patient as teams of workers have been working all night to repair or replace power poles, transformers and lines. Several fires were sparked as a result of downed powerlines in the Dexter area, with one firefighter reported as being injured as he attempted to extinguish the flames.

Miraculously, in spite of the terrible destruction done in Dexter, no one was seriously injured or killed. The local tornado warning siren did sound in plenty of time for people who were home to take cover. Many local news teams recorded amazing footage of the slow moving tornado and many witnesses watched the twister approach with disbelief as it was tossing entire trees through the air.

As a homeowner, it is up to you to prepare your home for the possibility of bad weather. Now is the time to go outside and inspect your home and property. If the weather permits, go up on your roof and inspect it to see if there are any loose shingles. If so, replace them. Also check that your gutters and drains are clear of debris and that all of your home’s features like shutters and awnings are secured and in good shape. Now is the time to cut away dead and dying tree limbs on your property and to secure lawn furniture, trash cans and anything else that can be picked up in the wind.

If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, have an evacuation plan in place. Everyone in your family should know this plan and have a meeting place where you all will gather if you are told to evacuate. Do not forget about your pets and elderly family members when setting up an evacuation plan. It is also a good idea to put an emergency kit together in case you become stranded. Include some basics like a radio, extra batteries, first aid supplies, medications, bottled water and a few non perishable food items. Get to know your area’s flood emergency plans as well and never consider driving on flooded streets as flood water moves swiftly and can carry automobiles away in a flash.

Being prepared is key to safeguarding your home and property against spring storm damage. You should also review your insurance policy now to see if you need to add more coverage to it. Be sure that you know your community’s warning system. If you live in a tornado-prone area, see to it that you and everyone in your family knows the difference between tornado watches and warnings.

Here is how you can do it:

1. Keep your windows open. You can install a circular fan or a portable box fan to reduce the strong, offensive smell of the smoke
2. You can moisten cheesecloth pieces and keep them over the vents, intake and outtake areas in the home. The cheesecloth can absorb any remaining soot in the air, and prevent it from spreading around the room.
3. Replace attic insulation that has been at the receiving end of smoke damage.
4. There is a good chance of residual soot that may be stuck in carpets and upholstery. You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dirt and smoke traces from such kinds of tough, absorbent material. Hold the vacuum nozzle, a little ahead, above the material, so that you are actually removing soot, instead of pushing it further deep inside the fabric.
5. After cleaning upholstery and carpets, you can cover them with plastic sheets. This will prevent any soot or dust floating in the air to be trapped inside them again.
6. Copper and brass items like bathroom fixtures can be cleaned with copper or brass cleaner. It is important to take prompt action and clean them quickly because the smoke film can easily and permanently damage brass and copper items within just 24 hours.
7. For cleaning smoke damaged clothing, curtains and other fabric, you can submerge these clothes overnight in a gallon of warm water, mixed with a cup of dishwashing agent. Drain and wash the items the next day. In case of items that can be bleached, you can mix 1 cup of chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of water and 4 to 6 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate. Soak these items overnight, then rinse with clean water and keep them to dry. You can buy trisodium phosphate at most hardware stores.
8. You can wipe hard surfaces like table-tops, walls, counters, ceilings with a sponge. Compared to wet ones, dry cleaning sponges work better. If it was a grease fire that caused the damage, you can use sponge dipped in luke-warm water to wipe soot surfaces.
9. If you find that bleaching and soaking do not remove the smoke damage entirely, you can take the items to a dry cleaner, which have tools and material to wipe away traces of smoke damage.
10. Some people use deodorizing sprays to bring down the smoke odor. This is not recommended because the scented sprays can cause chemical reaction; it can interact with the smoke odor to release new, harmful odors.
11. One should remember not to keep food packages open. Smoke can contaminate food and this can pose a greater health risk.
12. Finally, never enter a smoke damaged home without getting the official approval from the fire safety marshal. There may be structural damage in the home which may cause injury while you are undertaking the job of cleaning and repairing.

The early morning tornado damage has not yet been estimated in dollars because the focus is now on search and rescue. The damage however is being described as “extensive”. Two of the people who were killed were in Cedar Point which was a town that was especially hard hit by the 3:30am storm that caught most off surprise – especially in the month of January as tornado activity is untypical during this month.

Forecasters are calling for heavy thunderstorms today (Jan 23) with winds in excess of 50 miles per hour for the area. The bad weather will slow search and rescue efforts. Officials in Jefferson County say that they will “do whatever it takes” to look for victims in damaged homes and other buildings irregardless of how bad the weather becomes.

Thousands of people in Arkansas are without power as that state also had tornadoes on the ground Monday morning. Forecasters are warning that heavy thunderstorms and tornadoes can do further damage throughout Monday. A twister ripped through an area near Fordyce – a small community an hour and a half south of Little Rock Sunday night, doing damage to homes and knocking down trees and power lines as it moved through.

Alabama’s governor Robert Bentley has declared a state of emergency so that funding is made available to aid communities which have damaged. It may take several days to put a dollar amount on exactly how much damage was caused. It also may be days until many of the tens of thousands of people now without power have their power restored. There are many reports of power lines down in Jefferson County and several surrounding counties.

In the northeastern portion of the country, a quick moving storm system stretching from mid-Pennsylvania eastward dumped twelve inches of snow over the weekend, causing power outages and hazardous driving conditions. In the upper Midwest, freezing rain over the weekend has made roads and sidewalks slippery from south Minnesota into Michigan. This storm activity has resulted in many students having Monday off from school as it was deemed too dangerous to put school buses on the roads.

The main issue with hoarding cleanup is that there are often items of sentimental or actual value that are hidden somewhere in the mess. If you decide to hire a company to help clean up this mess then you will want to consider the items that may get lost in the process. If you make note of the items that you wish to keep then the company will put these aside for you. The company you hire should be reliable enough to sort through everything and put aside valuables such as fine jewelry, electronics, and money. You should provide the company with a list of valuables (such as photo albums, jewelry, etc.) that must be kept so nothing of major importance is lost in the cleanup.

The best thing you can do is speak with the company that you are thinking about hiring. They should be more than willing to discuss which items should be set aside. The company should also be willing to work alongside with you if you wish to oversee the cleanup process and possibly aid in the sorting of certain items. It is a good idea to be there for the whole process as there may be certain items that you did not think about which would have gotten thrown out otherwise. When someone becomes a serious hoarder they may have valuable items that were buried in a pile in their room many years ago so it could be difficult to remember everything.

The final thing that you should consider when hiring a company to help with hoarding cleanup is the cost of the service. You should make the effort to contact multiple cleaning companies and find the best price possible. If you can find any reviews on the companies you are considering then check them to determine which offers the best service for a reasonable price. Lastly, keep in mind that the cost of hoarding cleanup varies tremendously by situation so getting an on-site estimation on how much it will cost would be very helpful.

Home maintenance is needed because over time, a lot of things will affect the physical appearance of your house. The material that it was built with will naturally depreciate and go through wear and tear, but other elements like weather will contribute to possibly damaging your house. If you maintain your home regularly, this will lessen the effects that the weather can do to it. This is especially true when winter comes, because it’s extra challenging to deal with the damaging effects of snow.

Damage Caused By Snow

Snow is something that people look forward to, because it signals that winter has finally arrived. Even if it’s freezing cold, snow brings warm memories of snow fights and skiing and roasting marshmallows in a warm fire. However, snow can also be a nuisance, especially if it becomes uncontrollable. Snow is also quite challenging to deal with when it comes to home maintenance, because it causes a lot of things that can be potentially damaging to your home. This is the reason why as a homeowner you should be extra cautious when winter comes, and you should also make sure that you are equipped with the right tools and techniques to deal with all that snow.

Home Maintenance Tips

What you have to remember about snow is that it can mess with your ventilation and humidifiers. It can cause ice dams on your rooftop, which can lead to messy leaks and roof damage. Excessive condensation on windows and glass panes can also cause damage. Here are a few home maintenance tips that you can take note of every time winter arrives:

• Make sure your roof is well ventilated to prevent ice dams and icicles from forming.
• Regularly use a shovel to clear your driveway and walkway of ice. You can use rock salt to prevent slippery paths.
• Make sure your vents and gas meters are clear of ice.
• Regularly check drains and make sure you clean them.
• Clean your humidifier and ventilation system filters.

Preparedness is Key

It’s clear that when it comes to correcting the potentially damaging effects of snow in your home, preparedness is critical. You shouldn’t wait for the snow to cause irreversible damage, because there are several ways to prevent it. In case you’re really caught unprepared and some damage is done, it’s best to get in touch with the professionals and seek their advice as to how to correct the damage. You can prevent the damage from happening, but when it happens it’s best to leave it to those who know how to correct it properly.

Two were killed in Colorado when a vehicle left an icy highway. At least one storm-related death is being reported in Texas. From New Mexico to the panhandle of Texas and northern regions of Kansas, blizzard-like weather has road workers on high alert and travelers exiting early to find cover from the storm. Snow fell at one and one half inches per hour in northern Oklahoma where many residents have already decided (or have been forced) to miss work Tuesday due to extreme low visibility and hazardous drifting snow.

A portion of I-24 was closed in New Mexico north of Santa Fe.State Police there report that they have received a very high number of distress calls from motorists stuck on back roads. People in Clayton, NM say that they do not recall such a massive snow storm there since the mid 1970s when cows had to be air-lifted via helicopters and the National Guard was summoned to help.

Authorities in Texas have reported that nearly 100 people have been rescued from their vehicles by the National Guard as shelters were being opened to provided those stranded with a place to ride out the nasty weather. Many people living in the Great Plains states who were planning on doing long-distance traveling by car have been forced to delay their holiday plans. The pre-winter storm has put a halt to any long distance traveling – at least for early this week as highways and rural roads in the region are a mess.

The deadly snowstorm that struck the nation’s heartland is moving eastward. The mid-Mississippi Valley is expected to be hit with areas of rain, freezing rain and snow as well as with possible thunderstorms. Blizzard warnings are forecasting snow accumulations of up to eighteen inches in the Plains and in regions further east as the massive storm barrels its way across the country.

In Texas, flights were canceled Monday afternoon at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport Monday although things are expected to get back to normal by Tuesday morning. To the north in Oklahoma, the roads and highways were completely packed with snow or covered in ice, making them extremely hazardous. Officials there were warning people to stay at home and to only venture out in the case of “extreme emergency” due to the declining roadway conditions.

Do not take roof repairs lightly, if you ignore it, there can be damage not only to the ceiling but also to the floorings, the carpets, the furniture, the electronics and other appliances. You can check the roof for any problems or potential problems during the summer or spring months. Checking does not only mean looking out for leaks or cracks but also to find out the overall condition of the roof. You can find out if there is any mold, mildew or lichen growth in the lining or water accumulation. If your roof is in good condition your home will also be in shape for a long period of time.

Remember that there have been quite a few accidents due to not taking proper precautions while repairing the roof. Safety is definitely a priority and if you are not wearing the right gear or not having the correct tool-box, there can be problems. For instance, if you are not careful while climbing up the roof or if you do not have proper things like ladder and other safety equipment, you may end up hurting yourself badly. Also it is important to carry the right kind of tools and sealant. If you are climbing up along a steep line, it can be difficult to carry the toolbox. So, it is better if you climb up the roof first and if you have a helper who can give you these things by climbing a few steps up the ladder.

Next, you should use your flashlight to inspect for any cracks or holes in the shingles or in other parts of roofs like the vents, chimneys etc. Through the set of tools like hammer, nails and cement, you can get rid of the old shingles and fix the new ones. It is important to apply cement copiously and evenly. Chimneys are known for being prone to leaks. Look out for the metals around the chimney, it may have become loose. You may have to apply fresh coat of cement to tighten the area. Reseal any vents in the roofs that may be faulty. For instance, if you see anything that is coming out the roof, it may mean that even though the roof is in good condition, the openings can cause a problem. So, make sure that you reseal them properly in order to avoid any problem.