Frequently Asked Gutter Cleaning Questions
FIRE: ~ Not cleaning your gutters can significantly increase fire risks,
especially in Western Australia, that is prone to bush fires and strong winds during our dry / hot seasons.
How often should you clean your house gutters?
With the heavily treed Tuart forest on your doorstep and national park in Dunsborough,
we recommend twice a year.. This can also assist in stopping down pipes from blocking up, with disastrous consequences.
How to clean gutters that are too high to reach?
Our Gutter vacuums come with extensions that enable us to safely to clean your gutters on 2 storey properties.
Our easy and cost effective cleaning, can avoid major and sometimes catastrophic loss of property.
"What are the risks of not cleaning my gutters?"
A Western Sydney University study (How a bushfire can destroy a home)) has shown Bushfires often generate embers, which can travel distances and can ignite buildings. Around 80% of houses lost can be attributed to ember attack.
Quote: "Most people would expect that the most destructive element of a bushfire is the fire front, but rather surprisingly that is not the case. Ember entry and associated spot fires, rather than direct flame contact, accounts for 75 to 80% of homes destroyed by bushfires"
Accumulation of Dry Debris: Leaves, twigs, and other organic debris can accumulate in your gutters. In dry conditions, this material becomes highly flammable and can easily ignite from embers during bushfires or nearby sparks. The roof cavity and gutters are two of the most common ignition points.
Ember Attack: In a bushfire, embers can travel long distances. If your gutters are filled with dry leaves, these embers can ignite the debris, potentially leading to a roof fire. It is easy for embers to get under roof cladding and into the roof cavity, where are almost impossible to get to and can destroy your home and possessions in a very short time.
Clogged Gutters and Water Flow Issues: Blocked gutters can prevent rainwater from flowing away properly, leading to roof damage and more flammable areas near your home.
Increased Vulnerability During Hot Seasons: In hot, dry climates, uncleaned gutters act as fuel, making your home more susceptible to catching fire in the event of nearby fire activity. Evaporative air conditioners can also come under attack from hot embers, as the filter pads can ignite and give entry to the fire into the roof cavity.
Regular gutter cleaning helps remove this fire risk and ensures your home is better protected in case of bushfire threats.
FLOOD: Not cleaning your gutters can also increase the risk of flooding and water damage around your home. Water getting into the ceiling causes the ceiling to become soft and lead to it collapsing. The main primary flood-related hazards are:
Overflowing Gutters: When gutters become clogged with debris such as leaves and dirt, the proper flow of water through the downpipes is obstructed. As a result, water overflows from the gutters, and overflowing into ceilings. A sign of this is 'staining' on the panels under the eaves. This can also lead to pooling around the foundation of your home. This can significantly increase the risk of foundation flooding, causing potential water damage and costly repairs. Regular gutter maintenance and cleaning is crucial to prevent these issues and ensure proper water drainage.
Foundation Damage: Water that continuously pools around the foundation due to gutter overflow can weaken it over time. This can lead to cracks, erosion, and eventually flooding in basements or crawl spaces.
Soil Erosion: Uncontrolled water flow from clogged gutters can cause erosion around your property, washing away soil and damaging landscaping.
Cleaning your gutters regularly, ensures proper water drainage, reducing the risk of ceiling flooding and fire embers getting into the roof cavity.
