General News
18 September, 2024
How homeowners are protecting themselves against bushfires
What are you doing to prepare your home for bushfire season? There are many practical tips to protect your home, starting with home maintenance and improvements like bushfire shutters.
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It is an unfortunate fact that bushfires are a common event throughout Australia, exacerbated by changing climate conditions and vegetation.
Facing this grim reality is easier when you and your home are prepared for it. So, let's talk about how Australian homeowners are protecting themselves against bushfires and how something as simple as your window treatments could be all the difference.
How do you protect your home from a bushfire?
According to Dr Grahame Douglas, WSU's Academic Course Adviser on Bushfire Protection, the 2019-2020 fire season saw more than 12 million hectares of land burnt, 34 people killed, and over 3,100 homes lost to the flames.
Stakes are high, but Dr Douglas assures homeowners that designing and maintaining your home can significantly reduce the likelihood of bushfire damage. Key prevention tactics include:
Reducing the chance of debris and embers building up by simplifying your roof line and house outline;
Using the right materials to build your home, namely, non-combustibles and low-combustibles;
Ensuring gaps for all external openings are under 2mm wide; and,
Ensuring clear paths for evacuation and fire fighters.
You can also check out this guide to preparing your property. It includes practical steps to reduce the effects of bushfires, courtesy of the Country Fire Authority.
A key way to simplify your house outline and protect the interior is by installing external bushfire-resistant shutters.
How do bushfire shutters work?
If you live in a bushfire prone area, you may want to add even more layers of protection to your home. Bushfire-resistant shutters are a great way to protect your valuable assets and reduce bushfire damage.
Bushfire shutters create a physical barrier between your home and the extreme heat and flames, protecting your windows from flying debris and up to 90% of heat. Similarly, they help to keep flammable internal fittings, like curtains, away from the flames.
With the right provider, you can tailor the protection level of your bushfire shutters to suit your needs. Fire-rated shutters up to BAL-40 can withstand the most intense fire conditions. All Victorian homes are required to have a minimum of BAL 12.5 if built in a bushfire prone area.
The many benefits of bushfire shutters
Better still, bushfire-resistant shutters are multipurpose and add value to your home in more ways than one:
1 Enhance your home security
Roller shutters double as an additional security feature of your home. They are a visual deterrent to opportunistic burglars and are nigh impossible to pry open from the outside. So, you benefit from the peace of mind that your home is safe and secure.
2 Enjoy more privacy in your home
At the touch of a button, motorised roller shutters block out around 99% of light and create a visual shield from nosy neighbours. Enjoy full privacy in your home whenever you need it. Plus, they're fantastic when you need a lie-in!
3 Efficient insulation from hot and cold weather
These bushfire-resistant shutters are made from double-walled extruded aluminium with air pockets for increased insulation. Thus, they help you to stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Creating a barrier between an air-conditioned lounge room and the sweltering heat outside reduces the load on your air-conditioner and saves tons of energy.
4 Weather extreme conditions safely
Protect your windows from hail stones and flying debris during tropical storms with strong roller shutters. Rest assured that your family and belongings can relax, free from harm, indoors while inclement weather rages on.
Winter is the perfect time to prepare your home for bushfire season. With a well-maintained yard and an optimised home, you can tackle the summer season with greater confidence that you, your family, and your home, are prepared for whatever comes.