Insuring your home
Prepare For Bushfire Season with GIO
In Australia, weather is hard to predict, so keeping your home in good condition can help to prevent damage in the event of a bushfire. GIO knows what you need to look out for around your house through years of experience helping to protect people's homes. Here are a few tips to help you know how, and more importantly 'why' it’s essential to keep your house in good condition.
Clearing Your Gutters and Downpipes
It's important to clear your gutters and drainpipes regularly. Leaf build-up can be flammable and could ignite your roof if bushfire embers fall into your gutter. So, especially during bushfire season, regularly check on the state of your gutters and drainpipes which could help keep your home protected.
Screening Vents on Roof Voids
Help prevent embers entering your home by screening the vents of your roof voids with a fine metal wire mesh.
Trimming Branches and Your Lawn
Embers can travel up to 40km, making your trees hazardous. It's important to trim any branches that are too close to home or consider chopping the tree completely (if permitted by your local council), as this may help prevent the fire from spreading. Also, give your lawn a trim too, as long grass can provide more fuel for a fire to burn stronger.
Backup Water Supply
In the case of an emergency for helping to put out a fire, you could also purchase a portable pump to transform your water tank into another resource or use your swimming pool if you have one.
Staying Alert
It's essential to have working smoke alarms. Leave nothing to chance and perform regular checks on your smoke alarms. Also, in the event of a fire, there’s a chance there could be a power outage so you can also purchase a battery-operated radio to keep up to date on developments in and around your area.
For more detail, download the Bushfire Checklist today.
What should I check to help prepare my home?
When extreme weather strikes, you want to do everything you can to help protect your family and home.
GIO is here to help with our downloadable checklists. Each checklist provides you with actionable tips that, if done regularly, will significantly help you prepare the inside and outside of your home.
Insurance issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as GIO. Read the Product Disclosure Statement before buying this insurance. Go to gio.com.au for a copy. Target Market Determination also available. This advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situations or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it.
The information is intended to be of a general nature only. Subject to any rights you may have under any law, we do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss or damage, including loss of business or profits or any other indirect loss, incurred as a result of reliance upon it – please make your own enquiries.
