Despite their essential task of carrying rainwater away, are gutters a fire hazard? In short, they can be. It only takes one spark to ignite a fire anywhere on your property, including your gutter system. Whether you or a neighbor is shooting off fireworks, having a campfire, or using the fire pit, your property is always vulnerable to fire.
Rain gutters may be designed to redirect rainwater, but it’s not like we have rain all year round. In a period of dry weather, your gutters will collect dry, flammable debris. We’ll explore how gutters become a fire hazard, why they’re not entirely fireproof, and some measures to prevent gutter-related fires.
How Gutters Become a Fire Hazard
During the fall, gutters collect dry pine needles, leaves, and branches. These are dangerous combustible materials, and if not removed, can create a dangerous fire hazard. Your gutters, full of combustible debris, may catch a wind-blown ember from a wildfire, structural fire, or even a summer barbecue. It can even come from the chimney located near your gutter system. The ember can create a spark, and your gutter system will catch on fire.
What Happens During Gutter Fires
Burning leaves and pine needles are lightweight and can be blown easily to other structures and spread the fire. Not only could it severely damage your property, but also your neighbors’. But in the case of fires, not all gutter types suffer or cause the same amount of damage.
Plastic and Vinyl Gutters
If you’re on a tight budget, both plastic and vinyl gutters are suitable options. But in the case of fires, they could end up costing you more in property damage. When either one of these gutters catch on fire, they will quickly detach and fall to the ground. The combustible debris will continue to burn. This will ignite nearby materials such as wood piles and potentially your combustible siding.
Fortunately, there are better alternatives to plastic and vinyl gutters. We’re not saying they never catch on fire, but they perform slightly better without falling to the ground.
Metal Gutters
Metal gutters, such as steel and zinc, have been recommended over plastic gutters in areas prone to fire hazards. Contrary to vinyl and plastic, metal gutters will stay in place when caught on fire. This will help prevent further damage to your property.
Despite most metal gutters hailed as fire-resistant, they can get extremely hot and catch fire during warm summer months. This is especially true when they harbor debris such as leaves, branches, and pine needles.
No matter the gutter type you have installed, it can create a dangerous fire hazard if kept in disarray.
Are Gutters Fireproof or Fire-Resistant?
Gutters are fire-resistant. But just because a material is fire-resistant, doesn’t mean it’s entirely fireproof. Class A materials can reduce a fire’s spread and lengthen the amount of time it takes for your home to ignite and burn. Small flames can easily set off sparks and flying embers, which, upon entering your gutter system, will start a fire.
As mentioned before, gutters that are full of pine needles, dry leaves, and other debris will reduce their ability to fully resist fires. Keep in mind that your gutter is attached to your home’s roofline that is primarily made from wood.
To end the debate, no fire-resistant gutter is safe from flying embers, regardless of the season. So what measures can you take to prevent this?
Measures to Prevent Gutter Fires
There are effective measures you can take to prevent a small gutter fire from spreading and causing further damage:
- Remove flammable materials: Remove all combustible debris that accumulates in your gutter. Make sure to use proper safety equipment and ladders. If you own a large home, avoid risking it and hire a pro!
- Fire-resistant gutter installation: Replace plastic or vinyl gutters with metal.
- Install metal gutter guards: Choose metal guards that offer better protection from embers that could start fires within your gutters. Make sure they’re rated Class A.
- Guards already installed: Inspect them regularly for any dislodged guard or cover, as it will not keep out debris.
Measures to Prevent Property Fires
So you do your best to prevent gutter fires, but what about the rest of your property? Keep in mind that a spark may come from a fire burning near your home, or a random bolt of lightning could strike your roof. By reducing fire hazards on your property, you’ll reduce wind-blown embers from reaching the gutters.
- Fire-resistant landscape: Upgrade your outdoor space with fire-resistant plants that have moisture and are low-growing. This will reduce the amount of dry leaves and branches in gutters.
- Safely store combustible materials: Keep materials such as wood piles away from your home, garage, barn, or shed.
- Trim the trees: Make sure the branches are trimmed and far away from power lines. Electrical sparking from a wire to a branch may cause a fire.
- Fire-resistant roofing and siding: Use non-combustible siding and Class A roofing materials.
- Hire professional cleaners: If you can’t do it yourself, hire cleaning pros once a season to remove debris on your roof or in your gutter system. You may also consider roof washing.
- Upgrade your vents: Vents in homes are vulnerable to flying embers. All vent openings should be covered with one-quarter inch or smaller metal mesh.
- Check on your chimney: Make sure tree branches are at least 10 feet away from your chimney. This will prevent leaves and dry branches from landing near it. You may also cover your chimney with a non-flammable screen of wire mesh to prevent embers from escaping.
If you live in an area prone to wildfires, consider these measures provided by the Ready, Set, Go! (RSG) Program to protect your home and the rest of your property. This program is managed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Other Dangers of Clogged Gutters
Clogged gutters can lead to a number of more serious problems, not just fire hazards. They are a fundamental part of your home’s defense against rainwater. Take a look at some of the dangers of leaving debris in your gutters, and the consequences to the rest of your home:
- Roof damage: With no proper water flow, you could have water pooling on your roof. This may lead to cracks or roof leaks.
- Basement flooding: Water that doesn’t flow away from your home will go directly into your home’s foundation. This could very quickly lead to basement flooding.
- Leaking attic: All that collected water will have to go somewhere. If your gutters are clogged, the water can leak through your ceiling. The insulation could get ruined, and mold may even start forming in your attic.
- Landscape damage: With no clear direction to flow, water can splash out to other parts of your landscape. It can flood your garden beds, shrubs, and even wash away mulch. Excess water can even attract some unwanted pests.
- Ice dam formation: Water that is trapped in your gutter or around its edges will freeze during the cold winter months. This may cause a total blockage of your gutter system, and further problems down the line.
- Soffit and fascia board damage: They’re both mostly made of wood, which means they’re vulnerable to water damage. Clogged gutters will cause them to rot and deteriorate. This results in further damage to your home structure, followed by costly repairs.
FAQ About Gutter Fires
What are signs your gutters need professional cleaning?
If you notice any of the following signs, then it’s time you get your gutters cleaned before they cause more serious damage:
- Plant growth: Plants thrive when enough nutrients are present in the gutter system. The growth of plants will cause blockages and prevent water flowing through.
- Leaking basement: If this happens, then you may have waited too long. Water build-up due to clogged gutters may lead to basement floods.
- Staining and mildew: If you’re checking on your gutter system and notice some staining beneath it, then it definitely needs cleaning. You might also notice the pungent smell of mildew, indicating a bad water flow and debris being collected in the gutters.
- Sagging gutters: Collection of heavy debris will cause gutters to bend and sag, preventing them from carrying water away from the house. If kept unchecked, the gutters may even start pulling away from the house.
- Insect infestation: Moisture build-up and moss growth can damage the shingles. To make matters worse, insects will flock to organic waste present in the gutters and make it their home.
How can you evaluate gutter materials for fire safety?
As mentioned throughout the article, fire-resistant materials are rated Class A. To get a better understanding of what Class A means, it has all to do with the flame-spread rating. It is used to describe the surface burning characteristics of building materials.
| Flame-Spread Rating | Flame-Spread Class |
| 0 – 25 | Class A |
| 26 – 75 | Class B |
| 76 – 200 | Class C |
Fire-resistant metal gutters will have a flame-spread rating between 0 and 25, hence why they are in the Class A category. Replacing vinyl or plastic gutters with Class A materials can reduce the risk of gutter fires.
What is the best fire-resistant siding for your home?
Your home’s siding is highly susceptible to open flame and radiant heat. If your gutter system catches on fire, the siding could be next to ignite. The best Class A materials for siding are brick, stone, and block. They are permanent, non-combustible materials that are best for a fire-resistant siding. Installing fire-resistant building materials gives your home a fighting chance against wildfires.
Afraid of Fires? Don’t Neglect Gutter Cleaning
Preventing clogs and removing flammable debris can protect your gutters in many ways. Additionally, properly maintained gutters will protect your home from fires and other serious damage. Even the most expensive, Class A metal gutter system will catch on fire if not regularly cleaned. If you select fire-resistant materials for your guttering and roofing projects, then your home will have a better chance of surviving fires.
But even so, there are effective measures to prevent flying embers from even reaching your roof. Fire-resistant plants, proper venting, and safe storage for combustible materials all help reduce the risk of property fires.
Want to enjoy family barbecues without worrying about wind-blown embers? Hire a local gutter cleaning professional to get rid of the flammable debris.
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