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It isn’t difficult to imagine what the most common causes of house fires are: cooking accidents gone wrong, indoor heaters malfunctioning, faulty wiring, still-smoldering cigarettes, etc. Even if you have done everything possible to fireproof your home, there is one source of danger that homeowners often forget: their gutters.
Clogged gutters are often discussed as a major reason for roof or basement flooding. But when the leaves, sticks, and twigs are left there long enough in the warm sun, they can dry out and become very flammable, just waiting to destroy.
Gutters filled with dry and decaying plant matter may not seem like a fire disaster waiting to happen. Then again, they don’t seem like a flooding disaster either. For gutters filled with dry leaves, the main causes for concern are nearby wildfires and poor home wiring.
Even if a wildfire is nowhere near your home, the danger does not come from a raging inferno. Instead, it comes from the still-burning embers that are carried by the wind and deposited miles away. In fact, more than fifty percent of homes that are damaged or destroyed by wildfires are ignited because of these embers. Needless to say, having gutters filled with dry leaves makes your home a more flammable target.
Wiring, on the other hand, doesn’t usually cause a gutter to burst into flame. Instead, if a fire starts in your home (especially in your attic), the ignition of the dead leaves in your gutter can make the situation much worse.
Fortunately, the steps to making your home safer from fire danger are simple.
When summer arrives, it is time to make sure your gutters are free and clear. This may be as easy as looking out the window to make sure that nothing is blocking the drains. While autumn is the typical season for gutter cleaning, having a clogged gutter through the entirety of the summer months is a danger you want to avoid.
Then, when autumn begins, reach out to us to install gutter guards. These guards are basically fences for your gutters. Designed to keep gutters clear all year long, they are dependable and surprisingly affordable.
Tree branches that span over your roof are bound to deposit leaves year after year, which may give you a lot more work and a lot more to worry about. We recommend working with a company that can safely trim back these branches instead of taking care of the problem yourself. After all, your safety is our number one priority!
Home fires are dangerous enough on their own; they don’t need the added kindling of built-up gutter debris. To lower the risk of your home catching fire, keep your gutters clear, especially in the summer. If it is time to inspect and clean your gutters, give us a call to schedule your next gutter cleaning. We can help lessen the likelihood of your home catching fire today!