Did you know that thousands of homes are destroyed by wildfires every year? Fortunately, as a homeowner you can take many steps to boost your home’s protection against this threat. In today’s post, Gutter Helmet®, the leading manufacturer of rain gutter shields in the industry, explains what you can do to defend your home against wildfires.
Understand the Risk in Your Area
Wildfires are most common in forested areas and grasslands, particularly in the western and southern parts of the United States. They tend to occur during dry, windy periods, most often in the summer, fall, and winter seasons. While many wildfires are sparked by lightning, human error is also a common culprit.
If you live in an area prone to wildfires, you need to learn about the history of wildfires in your region and pay close attention to recent weather patterns. If it hasn’t rained in awhile, your area may be at risk.
Evaluate Local Access
Talk to community leaders to find out if your area has a plan in place for wildfires. The roads leading to your property should be visible and well-marked, and they need to be wide enough for fire trucks to pass through. Street numbers should also be visible from the road.
Reduce or Eliminate Flammable Vegetation
Trees and bushes might make for a beautiful lawn, but they’ll serve as nothing more than fuel in the event of a wildfire. We recommend significantly reducing or removing all vegetation within a 30-foot radius of your home. If you live on a hill, you’ll need to expand this radius on the side that goes downhill, as fire spreads more quickly when moving uphill. Take the following steps to remove vegetation near your home:
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Remove any vines growing on the walls of your home.
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Remove shrubs and bushes growing within 30 feet (or more if you’re on a hill) of your home.
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Prune trees and shrubs growing within 15 feet of your chimney.
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Remove any highly flammable vegetation, such as evergreen, pine, eucalyptus, juniper, and fir trees, growing within 100 feet of your home.
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Remove any vegetation with branches on the ground level.
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Mow your lawn frequently.
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Keep your lawn clear of fallen branches, twigs, and leaves.
Invest in a Gutter Protection System
Dry leaves that accumulate in unprotected gutters are highly flammable. The best way to ensure that leaves, twigs, and other flammable materials never make it into your gutters is to invest in Gutter Helmet, the product with the best reviews of rain gutter covers on the market. Gutter Helmet prevents leaves and other debris from entering your gutters, which reduces your risk of water damage from severe rainfall, while also bolstering your home’s defense against wildfires.
Install Fire-Resistant Siding
Hopefully a wildfire will never make it close to your home, but if it does, your last line of defense is your siding. We recommend having a professional inspect your siding to determine its fire resistance. Stucco, metal, concrete, rock, and cement shingles are the most fire-resistant siding materials.
For more tips on fireproofing your home or to learn more about the benefits of Gutter Helmet, call us today at (800) 824-3772.