Bundle gutter guard installation with roof cleaning for great savings – request a quote now
Owners, Illawarra Maintenance Group
Most homes lost in bushfires are lit by embers, not by the fire front. Embers land in gutters full of dry leaves and bark and set them alight, often hours before or after the flames pass.
The NSW Rural Fire Service lists cleaning your gutters and installing metal gutter guards as part of getting your property ready. Around the escarpment, the Highlands and the Shoalhaven, gutters fill fast with eucalypt leaves and bark.
1.9 MM WOVEN ALUMINIUM MESH
GUTTER GUARD ON A METAL ROOF
| Your BAL | Gutter guard (Karben aluminium mesh) | Ember guard (1.9 mm aluminium mesh) |
|---|---|---|
| BAL-LOW | Suitable | No ember guard required |
| BAL-12.5 | Suitable | Suitable |
| BAL-19 | Suitable | Suitable |
| BAL-29 | Suitable | Suitable |
| BAL-40 | Suitable | Not suitable. Use 1.9 mm stainless steel ember guard |
| BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) | Suitable | Not suitable. Use 1.9 mm stainless steel ember guard |
Based on Karben's published ratings and AS 3959-2018. For BAL-40 and BAL-FZ homes, we supply and fit Karben's 1.9 mm stainless steel ember guard, kept separated from metal roofing and gutters. If you're building or renovating, your certifier has the final say.
Gutter guard reduces one risk. It doesn't make a home bushfire proof, and nobody should tell you it does. Keep up the rest of your preparation: clear debris around the house, keep trees trimmed back from the roof, seal gaps into the roof space, and have a bush fire survival plan.
Most installs include a free gutter clean before the mesh goes on. Extremely heavy cleans and roof sweeps are assessed first.
Drone footage on every job, so you can see the whole roof line once it's done.
AS 3959-2018 requires gutter and valley leaf guards to be non-combustible. Karben's aluminium mesh is CSIRO tested with a Spread of Flame Index of 0, so it can be used as gutter guard at every BAL.
It won't catch fire or spread flame. Its main job in a fire is keeping dry leaves out of the gutter.
A Bushfire Attack Level rates how exposed a building is to embers, heat and flame. New builds and renovations on bush fire prone land get one from a bushfire assessment. Check the NSW Planning Portal or ask your council.
No. It removes one common way embers start a fire. It's one part of preparing your home, not the whole plan.
Ember guard is a higher-spec product than standard gutter guard and is priced to suit. Every job is quoted after we've measured up on the roof, as the price depends on your roof type, BAL rating and access. Quotes are free.
Secure your home against the elements with our proven gutter and maintenance solutions. Get in touch now for a quote.