THE hail and heavy storms which hit many parts of Gauteng on November 16, certainly caught many off-guard.
Many will recall the severe hailstorms experienced in 2014 across the Gauteng region, which had insurance providers inundated with claims.
Heidi Dias, head of claims transformation at Mutual and Federal, said: “It is difficult to anticipate when the first real storms of the season will take place but we recommend that homeowners put in place a few precautions for both hail and thunderstorms. This will help to safeguard people from injury and will also help alleviate damage to people’s belongings.”
She gave these guidelines:
When possible, avoid driving in hailstorms. If this isn’t possible, pull into an undercover facility to limit the amount of hailstorm exposure to your vehicle.
When driving in the rain, drivers should increase their following distance by a minimum of a three-car length, as well as decrease their driving speed.
Turn on your vehicle’s headlights.
To prevent serious damage should flooding occur, ensure gutters are cleaned from leaves and other debris and that your roof is in good repair.
At the start of a storm, people should unplug as many of their electronic devices as possible, such as wi-fi routers, cellphone chargers, UPSs and computers.
Dialdirect said although vehicles were usually the hardest hit, major hailstorms also resulted in millions of rands in damages to roofs, windows, sliding doors, skylights, garden and outdoor equipment.
Dialdirect offers the following tips to keep in mind during a hailstorm:
– Keep a close eye on the weather forecast and any up-to-the-minute websites, apps or networks that can alert you to an approaching hailstorm.
– If you are in a place that offers shelter against an approaching storm, rather stay put until the storm has subsided.
– Don’t park under trees as there is a risk of falling branches and debris.
– If you are on the road and get caught in a hailstorm, look for cover. This could include a covered car park or a petrol station. Take extreme care when pulling over, put on your hazard lights and don’t risk your safety or the safety of others by dashing madly for cover. Stay in your car and only leave the safety of your sheltered spot when the storm has passed.
– If there is no shelter nearby, motorists are urged to pull over onto the side of the road if it is safe to do so. In an unsheltered spot, hail damage is inevitable but it is safer not to drive through a storm when visibility is poor. The roads are slick and there is a risk of aquaplaning through deep pools of water and hail.
– Remember that, with the sudden drop in temperature during a hailstorm, your car’s windows will be more prone to fogging up, hampering visibility, so make sure that your car’s defogger is working properly.
– Outdoor equipment and furniture should be moved undercover if possible when a heavy storm is forecast.
– Roof structures should be checked to ensure that they won’t buckle under the weight of the hail in the event of a blocked drainage system.
