Legionnaires’ Disease: What It Is And Why It Might Be Hiding In Your Gutters
Gutter cleaning. It is a tedious, disgusting chore that nobody particularly likes to do. However, it’s a necessary evil… right? After all, gutters are designed to safely divert water away from our homes, and you may encounter foundation or roof damage if they are clogged. While it is essential to prevent or address clogs immediately, the consequences of gutter cleaning can be deadly.
While the obvious disastrous outcome involves ladder falls, more insidious threats may be lurking just outside of your foresight. Today we’re going to address one such threat: Legionnaires’ disease.
Ever heard of Legionella pneumophila? You might not have, as the bacteria was only discovered in the recent past. It was 1976 when the CDC launched an investigation into just what was making the attendees of the American Legion Convention in Philadelphia so ill. Hundreds were hospitalized, and dozens died. The culprit, they found, was the aforementioned bacterium causing a particular type of pneumonia.
This bacteria results in Legionnaires’ disease, a sickness that results from complex water systems like gutters. Healthy people tend to recover from the disease, but older people, those on drugs that weaken the immune system (like chemotherapy), or those with underlying issues like diabetes are most susceptible.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, fever, aches, and more. It usually takes a few days for symptoms to become apparent, but they’re hard to ignore. In fact, the disease necessitates a visit to the doctor.
What’s the best way to ensure this disease will never impact you? Avoid places where it might be living! Not only does LeafFilter Gutter Protection keep you far from stagnant, murky, bacteria-ridden water in your gutters, but its enclosed system prevents pests like the West Nile and Zika-virus-carrying mosquitoes from taking up residency in your gutters. Click the link above to schedule your free estimate, or give us a call at 800-290-6106.
