Across Australia, this summer is expected to be a potentially devastating bushfire season, and now is the time fire authorities are urging residents to be bushfire ready.

Among the preparations that homeowners and landlords can undertake is to ensure their gutters are clear of leaf litter.

Here’s an insight into the role gutters play in fire prevention…

Fire fuel

Reducing bushfire risk involves reducing the fire fuel that lies around your property. This includes trimming overgrown grass, cutting back trees that are close to the house, and removing leaf litter and dry tree branches or twigs that might lie about the garden.

While considering this fire fuel, every homeowner should also turn their attention to their roofs and gutters. Over the course of just a few months, leaf litter and twigs can accumulate in gutters and this poses a fire risk in a host of ways.

Ember attack

Often in a bushfire it’s not the immediate threat of a fire approaching but the embers which travel on the wind which can pose the most serious hazard. These embers can land kilometres from a fire front and start additional fires where they settle.

In fact, it’s estimated up to 85 per cent of homes which burn down in bushfires fall victim to an ember attack rather than approaching flames.

One of the prime places these embers settle is on the roof of a house. If your gutters and roof are littered with leaves, the chance of a fire starting greatly increases.

Water storage

When a bushfire is imminent, fire authorities recommend homeowners fill their gutters with water and block the downpipes. This is to mitigate the threat of ember attack.

If your gutters are wet and your roof is also hosed down, it can reduce the chance of an ember settling and lighting a fire.

Roof condition

Meanwhile it’s not just leaf litter and debris that homeowners should look to clean from the roofs and gutter.

They should also turn their attention to the general condition of their roof. Embers can also make their way into the roof cavity of a home through cracked tiles, unsecured tin roof sheeting and any gaps between the gutter and the home or roof.

That means in addition to cleaning their roof and gutters prior to fire season, homeowners should also have the general condition of their roof inspected and have any damaged areas attended to.

How we can help

Not only is Gutter-Vac a leading gutter cleaning company across Australia, we also provide free roof and gutter reports as part of our service.

This ensures you mitigate fire risk by clearing your gutters of debris and can also remedy any areas where embers can make their way into the home from the roof.

About Gutter-Vac

Gutter-Vac is a national company proudly offering the highest quality technicians in the gutter cleaning industry. Each of our technicians is equipped with specialised training in Gutter-Vac’s vacuum technology and provides quality customer service with an emphasis on safety.

You can learn more about our services here, or contact us directly to book your next gutter or tank clean.