Following the tragic Victorian “Black Saturday” bushfires during 2009, the Australian Standard for the way buildings should be constructed had been upgraded, especially in areas that are prone to bushfires. These new rules were introduced in the AS3959-2009, which were designed to reduce the risk of your home possibly catching fire. The new standards highlight construction details for new homes and buildings in areas where there is a bushfire attack level of 12.5 or above. Even though these measures do not fully guarantee protection against bushfires, they are still effective enough to prevent major damages.
What Is An Ember Attack?
AS3959-2009 was introduced and specifically tailored to protect homes from ember attacks. These take place when bark fragments, burning twigs, and windborne debris travel towards the fire igniting your house as they begin burning the fuel and vegetation surrounding it, or get pulled inside. 85% of bushfires that cause major damages result from ember attacks. Hence, to further strengthen and prevent your house from risks of Ember attacks, Gutter Guard King’ ember mesh and compliance with AS3959-2009 is a suitable solution.
What Does An Ember Guard Do?
Ember guard serves as a covering that is installed either inside or on top of an opening in your house as a shield from the attacks by blocking the entry of burning embers. Ember guards are made from several different materials, such as metal mesh with an opening of 2mm. Gutter Guard King’s 2mm gutter mesh acts as a compliant of ember guard, thus can be used in prescribed locations surrounding your house, assisting you to meet the requirements of AS3959-2009.
How To Use Ember Guard Compliant Mesh?
An ember guard compliant mesh can be used in a variety of ways to match the criteria of AS3959-2009. For homes between BAL 12.5 to BAL 29, the ember guard compliant mesh is required to be manufactured from either aluminum, bronze, or steel that’s corrosion-resistant.
In accordance with Australian Standards, the construction of new buildings in bushfire areas does not mandate equipping gutter mesh or gutter guards on new houses. Although, if you plan on installing or have installed gutter mesh in a new house located in a bushfire area, AS3959-2009 specifies that it should be produced from non-combustible materials. Gutter Guard King suggests the installation of a 2mm aluminum gutter mesh if your house is situated in a bushfire zone. Considering the fact that it’s non-combustible and small-sized to block out any embers, it should majorly prevent flammable debris such as leaves from entering your home, aiding protection against ember attacks.
Protect Your Home
No operation can guarantee the complete safety and protection of your home from the danger of ember attacks, however, by making use of ember guards as well as following the criteria of AS3959-2009, you can maximize the chances of your home’s survival!
