Say goodbye to unwanted visitors in your roof and gutters€¦ · expensive; it can also pose...

Say goodbye to unwanted visitors in your roof and gutters

bluemountainmesh.com.au 1

PEST CONTROL + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide + + 2013

USING GUTTER GUARDS TO MAKE YOUR HOME A PEST AND POSSUM FREE ZONE

Nobody enjoys unwanted visitors in their home – particularly when they have a tendency to make a mess, destroy your peace and quiet, damage your house and possibly even make you sick! But that’s exactly the issue faced by thousands of Australians every year trying to rid their homes of common household pests and intruders.

The cost to remove these unwanted pests from your home – or to fix the damage they leave behind - can easily run in to the thousands of dollars. Yet while many people will get their homes treated for pests, they often overlook the source of the problem, and it’s only a matter of time before their unwanted friends return.

Unprotected gutters provide a convenient entry point to your warm and inviting roof space, which then becomes a nesting site and food source for a host of common household pests such as birds, possums, rats, mice and snakes.

Having unwanted pests around your home is not only annoying and expensive; it can also pose serious health risks too. Gutters clogged with debris and leaf matter can lead to pooled water, providing the perfect breeding ground for the deadliest pest of all - mosquitoes.

Installing high quality, all-steel gutter guards can help protect your property and family’s health by cutting off access to your roof (e.g. for possums, rats and mice who use your roof space for shelter or breeding) and removing the source of food (e.g. for snakes who will enter your roof to feed on other pests).

This paper will look at:

+ The common pests found in gutters around Australia.

+ The risks to your family and your home from pest invasions.

+ How gutter guards work to minimise the risk.

+ Why Blue Mountain Mesh provides superior protection to other gutter guards.

+ Gutters full of leaves, debris and pooled water provide a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of pests (including mosquitoes, birds, possums, rats and snakes) which can lead to a host of problems around the home.

+ Many home owners will get their property treated for pests but forget about their gutters – leaving the breeding grounds and food sources intact.

+ Pests are also a common cause of blocked gutters, which can lead to flooding, causing extensive structural damage and destroying precious home contents.

+ Installing high quality steel gutter protection like Blue Mountain Mesh can help by forming a strong physical barrier to prevent pests from entering your gutters and roof space.

+ Prevention is better than the cure. Stop pests from making your home their home. Because once they get in, they’re hard to get out!

Photo : ANGUS FRASER, Sept 2012



Uninvited guests – even cute ones like this - can make your life miserablePraying for a disappearing trick: when the possum magic wears thin

“It moved in on Tuesday at 2.13am, squeezing through an impossibly small gap in a corner where two gutters meet.

Quite why it chose to put itself through the wringer when the shack is surrounded by eucalypts, a cheese tree, an avocado tree, banana trees and palms galore is a mystery to me. But, as Mark Williams, of Taronga Zoo, says: “It’s Sydney. Real estate is everything - even to possums.”

So on Wednesday night at 9.14pm, after he had unsqueezed himself from the cavity in the plasterboard wall in our bedroom and out through the tiny hole above the gutters, I plugged the hole with two long strips of wood going lengthways into the roof, covered with a ball of chicken wire, then a short board nailed over the top.

At 2.23am he returned and started to rip off the board. I shot out with a torch before he’d … had a chance to rip out the chicken wire. The possum bounded off over the ridge of the roof. He was back 20 minutes later and had the chicken wire out before I’d had a chance to shoo him off with the torch beam (possums hate bright light)…

Since you can’t use a power drill or bang nails into wood in the middle of the night and preserve a decent relationship with your neighbours, I decided on a different tactic last night after taking advice from Mark Williams. He’d told me possums hate bright lights, music and the smell of napthalene,which can be found in moth balls.

So, after hearing our guest leave at 9.23pm, I shot up the ladder and stuffed a torch (on full beam and shining out) into the hole, a small transistor … and pressed moth balls all around the two devices.

At 2.41am today, I heard the possum (was he wearing RayBans?) dig out the torch and transistor and knock them down on to the deck, then commando crawl across the mothballs into our bedroom cavity, where he soothed himself to sleep with a steady scratching of claw against plasterboard.

Mark tells me brushtails - a protected species in their thousands - are notoriously determined and bad-tempered, so it is as well our guest gets his full 19 hours, compared to my two or three. I’ll be on sentry duty tonight, waiting for it to leave, to try a new hole-plugging tactic, but any ideas for making our guest view trees as a better option would be gratefully received.”

Richard Woolveridge is acting editor of smh.com.au. (Sydney Morning Herald 2011)

As this Sydney-sider has found, it can be very difficult to remove possums once they’ve taken up residence in your home. But aside from trying to get a good night’s sleep, there are many important reasons why you should be concerned about pests in your gutters.

Is this the face of a bad guy? Australia’s native brushtail possum.Photo : JIMEE, JACKIE, TOM & ASH

HOW YOUR GUTTERS PROTECT YOUR HOME

Gutters are one of the unsung heroes of your home, forming a vital part of home construction and protecting what lies inside. However, if your gutters are being used as a home for pests (e.g. as a nesting site for birds), they can’t do their ‘day job’.

The main function of a gutter is to transport water away from the roof of your home – either into a drainpipe or water collection and storage system. Without properly functioning gutters, water that falls on your roof can flow toward the walls, seep into cracks and get inside, causing extensive flood and moisture damage. Futhermore, water can collect next to the foundations of your home, which can cause serious structural damage and attract other pests like termites.

Gutters do a good job of removing this water, so long as they are properly maintained. Every year, fallen leaves, branches, dirt and debris gets washed off the roof into our gutters. This can build up at an alarming rate and can cause damage to the guttering itself or to your property. This build-up of organic matter is also a food source for pests; while pooling water that can’t escape through the downpipes creates a dangerous breeding ground for mosquitoes.

+ A gutter collects the storm water that lands on your roof; and directs it away from your house into a drainage or storage system. It can also be a haven for pests; and provide access to your roof space if unprotected.



The two main issues with pests and gutters are: 1. BLOCKED GUTTERS: Pests often

cause blocked gutters either by making nests or damaging gutters and drainpipes while trying to gain access to your roof. Blocked or damaged gutters can lead to flooding as water cannot drain properly. This can cause serious damage to many parts of your home. It can also attract other pests to the food sources (bird nests, leaves and debris) and pooled water left behind (mosquitoes).

2. ACCESS TO YOUR ROOF: Unprotected gutters can provide unintentional access to your roof for possums, birds, rats and snakes looking for food and shelter. Pests in your roof space can cause health issues, serious damage to property, and be very difficult and expensive to remove.

PLANTS AND OTHER PESTS COMMONLY FOUND IN GUTTERS1 4

6

5

2

3

Photo : 1. NEIL CHAMPION, Nov 2010; 2. BRIAN SNELSON, Jul 2006; 3. 500PX, Nov 2011; 4. JAMES GATHANY, CDC, Feb 2006; 5. TED GARVIN, Dec 2007; 6. TEMPORALATA, Nov 2010

What’s lurking in your gutter? + Grass and plants growing in gutters and stopping water flow

+ Moss build up

+ Gutter blocked with leaves and debris

+ Pests including possums and birds making nests

Sometimes you can’t see the problem from the ground; and you won’t always notice the overflow until damage is done.

COMMON PESTS FOUND IN GUTTERS AROUND AUSTRALIA

What are the common pests found in Australia – and what sort of problems can they create around your home?

Blocked or damaged gutters can lead to flooding as water cannot drain properly.

Photo : JAMES GATHANY,CDC, 2005

Mosquitoes

Leaves and debris can create blockages in your gutter, causing stagnant water to pool. This creates the perfect breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes. In Australia, this poses a significant health problem with the spread of diseases such as Dengue Fever (North Queensland), Ross River Fever (Australia wide), Barmah Forest Virus (Australia wide), Murray River enceptialitis (remote North Western Australia and the Murray Darling Basin).



Termites or “white ants”

Blocked gutters can cause water to overflow from gutters, which then pools and creates damp conditions near the foundations of your home. When worker termites find water, they will put down a scent directing other termites to the area, leading to termite infestation. Termites generally feed on wood and other plant material (e.g. leaf litter) and can cause serious structural damage.

Birds

Birds can cause all manner of health and social problems if allowed access to your home through unprotected gutters. Not only are they noisy, and can annoy you and your neighbours, many diseases are linked to bird droppings, which also serve as a breeding ground for flies. Birds are also hosts to a variety of other insects, mites and ticks capable of infecting humans and other animals in the home. Birds can also cause significant damage to your property’s roof, gutter and internal spaces if allowed to nest inside – blocking gutters (cause of flooding) and leaving combustible materials behind (fire risk). Indian Mynas, Pigeons and Starlings are most renowned for making nests in gutters, creating noise and mess around your home.

Indian Myna birds

Indian Mynas get a special mention because they pose significant problems with gutters across the east coast of Australia, building nests and blocking the flow of water. An introduced species, the Indian Myna has been ranked among the world’s 100 most invasive species. Highly territorial and aggressive, they will often make around four different nests but only lay eggs in one. The build-up of nesting debris creating blockages and fire hazards; while early morning chirping from young birds can be very annoying.

Bird mites

If you have birds in your roof spaces, you will also have bird mites. While the mites usually feed off their bird hosts, when the birds die or leave, thousands of mites can disperse searching for new hosts. Bird mites will bite humans and the saliva can lead to severe irritation and rashes, with secondary infections from scratching. The mites will stick around as long as the bird-related material remains in your roof and gutters.

Possums

Possums generally move into roof spaces to nest as there may be no suitable natural habitat nearby. Once they’ve made a home, possums can be very difficult to remove and are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. Possums can be very noisy and disruptive, carry diseases and parasites, and can cause extensive damage. Common issues include chewing on electrical wires that can lead to short-circuiting and fires; urinating and defecating on ceiling plaster, causing stains and foul smell; tearing insulation to shreds, meaning it won’t retain heat properly; getting into wall cavities, causing noise and further destruction. Only the strongest steel mesh gutter guard, properly installed, has the chance of keeping a determined possum out.

Photo : ALTON, May 2007

Photo : BRIAN SNELSON, July 2006

Photo : ANTON CROOS, Jan 2011

Photo : ALAN R WALKER, Apr 2012

Photo : ROSSRS, May 2009



Rats and mice

Unprotected gutters are a haven for pests seeking food and shelter. The damage and contamination caused by rats and mice pose a serious health hazard for you and your family. Rats will gnaw roofing materials looking for food, including wiring, which may cause a fire hazard. If you have rats or mice in your ceiling space, they may build nests as well, making the issue worse and provide a food source for other pests, such as snakes. Some rat species (e.g. Black and Brown rats) are capable of producing large litters (10+ young) every three weeks. These young are ready to breed themselves within approx 10 weeks. This can lead to rapid overpopulation in the right conditions. Rats are a major risk to the health of the community. They can help transmit serious diseases, including the plague, dysentery, leptospirosis and typhus fever, and irritate conditions like asthma. The parasites they carry and their droppings can also adversely affect humans and pets.

Snakes

Snakes can enter roof spaces via unprotected gutters looking for rats and mice to feed on. Some snakes can be deadly to humans and pets. And while not all snakes are dangerous, it can be hard to tell them apart. Therefore any snake found around the home should be left alone to be removed by a professional. Removing the food source and blocking access to your roof will deter snakes from hanging around.

Photo : JJWHATSURFACE, Feb 2004

Photo : PETER FIRMINGER, Jan 2006

THE FOUR MAIN REASONS TO PROTECT YOUR GUTTERS FROM PESTS 1) Blocked gutters are a serious risk of flood damage

If your gutters are blocked by a bird or possum making their nest, your gutter will be unable to fulfill its number one duty – to carry water away from your home. In fact, overflowing gutters are one of the four most common reasons for water entering homes during storms (Sydney Morning Herald 2009) and the insurance bill for damage to your property and home contents can run into the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands.

Blocked gutters and downpipes can cause water to back up and overflow during and after heavy rain and storms. This can lead to flooding, with water coming over the side of the gutter, then running down your wall, or entering the house over the back

Heavy rain and storms can block gutters and lead to water damage inside the home. Photo : KEITH WATSON, Nov 2004; JOE MANLEY, Nov 2009

of the gutter into eaves and ceiling cavities, overflowing onto verandas, terraces and stair slabs and flowing into the downstairs rooms or causing drainage problems for the homeowner and adjacent properties.

One of the big issues is that you probably won’t know you’ve got a blockage until it’s too late, as the signs can be hard to spot from the ground. Typically, flooding occurs in the middle of a storm or heavy rain, so you might find yourself struggling to clear blocked gutters in wet and dangerous conditions. While damage from overflowing gutters can be expensive to fix, there can also be significant impact on the value of your home.



2) Pooled water and the risk of mosquito-borne diseases

Mosquitoes are responsible for more deaths than any other insect or animal on the planet. Gutter guards can help eliminate dan-gerous breeding grounds around the home.

Keeping your gutters cleared of blockages and running smoothly is very important. If the water can’t escape it will pool in the gutter creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes – the insect responsible for more deaths than any other animal on the planet.

In Australia, mosquitoes pose a significant problem due to the diseases they can harbour and transmit to humans through bites. The most prevalent diseases mosquitoes carry in Australia include:

• Dengue Fever: Since 2000, there have been 36 dengue outbreaks in North Queensland, resulting in 2,364 confirmed cases that led to three deaths. Prevention and control has become a major public health concern (Ritchie 2012)

• Ross River Virus: Caused by a viral infection, transmitted through mosquito bites, infecting around 5,000 Australians every year (ABS 2012). Symptoms include fever, rash, and joint pains. Prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites.

• Barmah Forest Virus: The second most common mosquito-borne disease in Australia with around 1500 notified cases per year (ABS 2012). Barmah Forest Virus is currently only found in Australia and while it isn’t fatal, symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain, muscle tenderness and generally feeling unwell for up to six months.

• Murray Valley enceptialitis: Found in Remote North Western Australia and around the Murray-Darling Basin, the last major outbreak of Murray Valley enceptialitis was in 1974 with a total of 58 cases and 13 fatalities.

And these diseases are not just a problem in the warmer, wetter parts of Australia – temperate areas are at risk too, with outbreaks common in major towns and cities, as mosquito expert Dr Cameron Webb, from the University of Sydney warns:

“It is a common misconception that mosquito-borne diseases in Australia are limited to our northern states. Disease caused by Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus are commonly reported from southern states and, increasingly, at the fringes cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.” (University of Sydney 2013)

The most effective way to control mosquitoes and reduce the risk of transmitting mosquito-borne diseases is to prevent or reduce mosquito breeding (Queensland Government 2010). Keeping household gutters clear of moist leaves and debris and pooled water is an important factor in reducing mosquito breeding habitats around the home. Installing a gutter guard provides a long term solution by ensuring that leaves and other debris don’t get into the gutters in the first place to create blockages and pooling water. Leaves simply flow off the gutter while water is drawn through the holes in the mesh to flush the gutters clean.

Pooled water in your gutters caused by blockages is a breeding ground for mosquitoesPhoto : ERIC SCHMUTTENMAER, May 2008

Pests can introduce leaf litter and other foreign objects into your ceiling. Their droppings can irritate allergies and asthmaPhoto : BILL BROWN, Sept 2011



3) Looking after your family’s health

Pests living in your roof and gutters will leave behind mess, germs, parasites and allergens that can seriously affect your family’s health.

Possums often urinate and defecate on ceiling plaster, causing stains and foul smells. If you have rats or mice in your ceiling, they may build nests as well. A female rodent can have between 84 and 120 young in her lifetime – which can be very dangerous if this is going on in your roof space. The damage and contamination can pose a serious health hazard for you and your family. Allergens contained in rat and mice urine can be a potential trigger for asthma (Asthma WA 2013) and if the mice and rats decide to enter your home looking for food, they can further contaminate your kitchen and living areas with urine and excrement, causing food poisoning and other more serious conditions.

Furthermore, it’s often the case that the unwanted visitors are themselves playing host to unwanted guests. Rats, mice and birds will carry parasites (such as fleas, mites and worms) into your home, which can cause significant irritation and spread disease. Birds mites can cause dermatitis, allergies and asthma in people and will often encroach further into a home looking for human hosts well after their bird hosts have left their nests or died. Bites from bird mites can be difficult to diagnose because they can be mistaken for bites from a number of other insects.

The best way to prevent these issues is to stop the pests from entering your home in the first place by protecting the gutters using a gutter guard that is strong enough to withstand even the most committed attacks from possums and birds.

4) Protect your property from damage

Gutters that are clogged with bird nests and leaf matter will create more intense breeding conditions for rust than you would normally find in gutters that are well maintained. Without proper cleaning, debris left in gutters breaks down and forms a destructive sludge. Over time, this sludge causes rust to form. Your gutters will eventually stop working properly and will need to be replaced – which can set you back thousands.

Removing any unwanted pests, such as rats and snakes, can be costly and dangerous. They can cause considerable damage to weatherboards, plasterboard and even wiring – but you often can’t just trap the pest or animals yourself. Under the Wildlife Act 1975 possums are protected, meaning they must not be harmed or kept in cages. If a possum is causing damage in your roof cavity, they can be removed but need to be released within 50 metres of the capture site that day. People who breach the law with regard to possums - baiting possums with poison, for example - can face fines of up to $5000.

The safest and more effective option would be to hire a professional. All pest control and removal comes at a cost, and these costs will vary depending on your house and pest problem. Removing soiled and contaminated insulation is a messy and potentially dangerous job unless undertaken by experienced professionals. As it’s such an unpleasant job, it can cost up to $4,000 depending on the size and the difficulty of access into your roof.

The investment required to protect your home with a more long term option like a gutter protection solution on the average Australian home is $1500-$2,000 fully installed. Compare this with the costs of what could go wrong if you leave yourself – and your home – unprotected:

Until a bird mite infestation is controlled, people can experience considerable discomfort and severe irritation with rashes and intense itching. Also the sensation of crawling mites on the skin will irritate some people.

(www.pestcontrol.org.au)

Brushtail possum showing its head through a hole it has clawed through the plaster of a ceiling in an Australian home. Photo : ROSSRS, May 2009



HOW GUTTER PROTECTION WORKS TO PREVENT ISSUES WITH PESTS

Installing a gutter guard (also known as gutter mesh) provides a long term solution to solve the issue of unwanted pests around your home in several ways:

Firstly, over-the-gutter systems like Blue Mountain Mesh all-steel gutter guard forms a physical barrier to prevent pests from entering your roof space. It is strong enough to withstand attack from even the most determined pests – who can be highly territorial and aggressive when it comes to getting back into their nesting grounds.

Secondly, the ski-slope design of over-the-gutter gutter protection systems ensures that leaves and debris are blown off the roof through wind action whilst water is drawn through the mesh into the gutter. This prevents clogging and pooling of water that can lead to mosquito infestations. For homeowners using rainwater tank systems, it also improves water quality by preventing leaves and debris collecting and breaking down in the gutter, and extends the life of gutters by ensuring they dry quickly after rain.

This form of gutter protection is highly superior to other in-gutter systems (e.g. gutter coils, foam or brushes) which don’t stop debris from entering the gutter and can lead to a myriad of other problems – clogging and dislodging; the risk of falls from DIY cleaning and maintenance; increased fuel for bushfires.

A FLEXIBLE, PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR YOUR ENTIRE ROOF

Blue Mountain Mesh All Steel Mesh can be used to seal other areas of the roof (e.g. between roof components, at the wall line or in roof valleys and ridges) – anywhere they’re getting in - as it conveniently comes as a roll or sheet of mesh.

According to experienced roofer, Bill Brown from Aussie Shield, the combination of quality products and skilled installers is the only way to permanently get rid of pests:

“Some people spend a lot of time and money trying to fix these problems themselves, getting pest control in and patching up holes. That will work for a while, but the problem will always come back,” he says.

No Gutter Protection – the cost of the risks Average Cost

• Cost to replace rusted gutters $3,500

• Cost to remove pests from your roof space $ 400

• Cost to remove & replace pest affected insulation $3,200

• Cost to have open/gutters without gutter protection cleaned $1,000 annually

$8,100 + $1,000 annually

Gutter Protection Solution installed – the costs Average Cost

• Cost to get gutter guard installed $2,000

• Cost to get gutters cleaned $ 250 annually

$2,250 + $250 annually

Diagram of ski-slope / Over the gutter design



“Possums are the worst. I’ve watched a possum stand in the gutter and work away at a roof sheet until it pulled the nails loose and disappeared inside. They’ll do anything to get in.”

Bill’s team of specialist installers uses Blue Mountain Mesh to protect the gutters and to seal off any other areas that rodents, possums or birds are using to gain access to the roof.

“We also get a lot of calls about Myna Birds. In those cases we will use the mesh to seal all over the roof - up over the gables and at the end of the ridge caps – anywhere they can get in. If you take the time to do it properly and use the right materials, the pests won’t come back.”

OTHER REASONS YOU SHOULD INVEST IN YOUR GUTTERS

Protect your home against bush fire

A gutter filled with leaves and debris is a dangerous source of fuel for fires, particularly if you live in a leafy suburb in or near a bush land area. Research has shown that the main cause of house fire during a bushfire is from ember attack, where burning parts of trees (e.g. twigs, branches, leaves) are carried by winds and lodge in gutters, under doorways, roof spaces or windows and start internal fires (CFA 2010). Over 85% of fires that destroy homes are started this way. Gutter guards form part of strict construction standards for properties built in bushfire-prone areas in an attempt to mitigate the risk of ember attack and reduce the risks to people and property (see BMM Information Guide – Bushfire Building Compliance or Ember Attack Protection).

Save money on cleaning and maintenance

Experts generally recommend that you clean your gutters at least once every three months; and more frequently if leafy trees hang over your roof. This takes time and can be expensive if you need to pay someone else to do this job for you. No gutter protection solution is maintenance free; however, installing gutter guards greatly reduces the need for regular maintenance activity on the roof and gutter. Quality gutter guard systems are largely self-cleaning, which means that any small, fine matter that enters the gutter is washed away with the slightest rain, eliminating the need to clean out your gutters more than once a year (see Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide – Household Savings).

Reduce your risk of falls

There are many associated risks of working with ladders. When you consider that you only have to fall 1-2 metres off a ladder to suffer serious injuries - anything to reduce the number of times you have to access your roof via a ladder is an investment in your own safety and the security of your family (see Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide – Avoid the Risk of Falls).

Photo : BILL BROWN, Sept 2011

Photo : CAREFLIGHT, Nov 2012

Photo : BERT KNOTTENBELD, May 2007



IN SUMMARY

If you’ve experienced problems with possums, birds or other pests making a home for themselves in your roof, using your gutters as their front door, you’ll know how important it is to invest in gutter protection. If you haven’t, let this be a precautionary tale to take action before any problems arise, because the consequences can be very serious for your health, wellbeing and the value of your home.

Gutter protection can prevent pests from taking hold in your gutters, and offer many other valuable health and safety benefits, giving you peace of mind around your home all year round. In all cases, it’s important to remember:

+ Your gutters are an important part of your home and regular checks are recommended. Sometimes you can’t see the problem from the ground; and you won’t always notice issues arising from a blocked gutter or pooled water until the damage is done.

+ Choose your gutter guard system wisely. Over-gutter systems made from steel are manufactured to suit a range of environmental conditions and offer the best protection from highly determined, territorial pests like Myna Birds and possums. Blue Mountain Mesh is manufactured using hot dipped, zinc coated, oven-baked, corrosion-resistant, non-combustible steel. It is strong enough to withstand the most intense rain and hailstorms and meets updated Australian Standards for building in bushfire-prone areas.

+ Ensure your gutter guard is fitted by an accredited installer, and comes with a warranty from a trusted manufacturer.

HOW CAN THE RH GROUP HELP?

The RH Group is an Australian company driven to help every person and every community make the most of their environmental assets.

We design, manufacture and wholesale high quality and sustainable water, environmental and trade products for Australian and international markets. We work with governments, retailers, distributors and consumers all over the world to find smarter, more innovative solutions to challenges created by our environment, and in doing so, create more sustainable futures.

Our Blue Mountain Mesh advanced gutter protection system is designed to offer homeowners protection from a range of environmental hazards, including flooding during storms and ember attack during bushfire.

ABOUT BLUE MOUNTAIN MESH

Born out of fire. The inspiration behind Blue Mountain Mesh’s all-steel gutter mesh came from the most tragic circumstances: watching a man trying in vain to save his family home from a savage bushfire, fuelled by an abundance of leaves and debris in the home’s gutters.

Blue Mountain Mesh products prevent leaves and debris from entering gutters and downpipes. The all steel, fire resistant gutter mesh minimises gutter maintenance and improves the quality of rain water collected for tanks. The propietary hot dipped zinc coated and oven baked manufacturing process offers superior corrosion and heat resistance, providing superior protection for homes over the longer term.

We look forward to opportunities to help more Australians protect themselves and their greatest assets. For more information on our all steel, custom-made gutter protection products visit www.bluemountainmesh.com.au or call 1800 612 908.

WHY CHOOSE BLUE MOUNTAIN MESH?

+ Blue Mountain All Steel Gutter Mesh® is hot dipped galvanised, zinc coated steel which provides a corrosion resistant layer.

+ Our zinc coated corrosion resistant steel mesh is strong and durable and will stand the test of time

+ Our entire range is bushfire compliant and conforms to the Australian Standard for the Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas (AS3959-2009) and the updated Australian Standard for the ember guard protection of sheet roofs (AS3959-2009/Amdt 2011).

+ Our unique steel profile ensures our steel mesh lies perfectly flat and means the finished product looks like a seamless addition to your roof.

+ Our mesh fits all gutter profiles and can be adapted for all roof types, custom made and available in a choice of over 30 colours.

+ We offer a 12 year warranty based on minimum performance that we expect from our product. Results from independent tests offer a far longer projected life span with 12 years being the most conservative estimate.



REFERENCES

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012) ‘11.17 NOTIFICATIONS(a) OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, Australia—2009 and 2010’ Year Book Australia, 2012, accessed 22 August 2013, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Lookup/by%20Subject/1301.0~2012~Main%20Features~Communicable%20diseases~232>.

Asthma WA (2013) ‘Pets and Asthma Fact Sheet’, accessed 22 August 2013, <http://www.asthmawa.org.au/About-Asthma/Asthma-Factsheets/Pets-and-Asthma/>.

Country Fire Authority (CFA), Vic Government and the Building Commission Victoria, (2010) A guide to retrofit your home for better protection from a bushfire, accessed 1 August 2013, <http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/fm_files/attachments/plan_and_prepare/bushfire_home_retrofit.pdf>.

Government of Western Australia Department of Health (2013) Rats and Rodents, accessed 2 September 2013, <http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/3/1183/2/rats_and_rodents.pm>.

Queensland Government Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (2013) Living with snakes FAQs, accessed 22 August 2013, <http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/livingwith/snakes/frequently_asked_questions.html>.

Queensland Government 2010, Queensland Joint Strategic Framework for Mosquito Management 2010 – 2015, accessed 21 August 2013, < http://www.health.qld.gov.au/mozziediseases/documents/joint_strat_fwk.pdf>.

Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) and NRMA Insurance 2013, accessed 23 April 2013, www.stormwise.com.au

Ritchie, S (2012) ‘Explainer: what is dengue fever?’ The Conversation, 8 November, accessed 23 August 2013, <http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-dengue-fever-8571>.

University of Sydney (2013) ‘Study finds introduced mosquito species active all year round’, media release 24 July, accessed 22 August 2013, <http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=11999>.

‘Warnings ignored on high-gutter menace’, Sydney Morning Herald, 2 February, accessed 1 September 2013, <http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/02/01/1233423045521.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2>.

Woolveridge, R (2011) ‘Praying for a disappearing trick when the possum magic wears thin’, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 October, accessed 22 August 2013,

<http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/praying-for-a-disappearing-trick-when-the-possum-magic-wears-thin-20111028-1mn9q.html#ixzz2Y8iOpzOv>.

Say goodbye to unwanted visitors in your roof and gutters€¦ · expensive; it can also pose...

Documents

Transcript of Say goodbye to unwanted visitors in your roof and gutters€¦ · expensive; it can also pose...