Fire Resistant Homes Part 1

 
Fire Resistant Homes Part 1

by Abeer Sweis
August 26, 2022
Building for fire resistance is about safeguarding your home and buying time. Time to gather loved ones and pets, time to get out of the space and to safety, and time for firefighters to respond and protect our homes and businesses. The following are key for structures to remain standing, and at a minimum, hold together for hours rather than minutes during a fire. In the next 4 weeks we will share with you some of the things that must be considered when designing a new home. Some of the items shared can also be done to retrofit an existing home and grounds.

The Envelope

The envelope is the entire exterior of your home - including doors, windows, walls, and the roof. Openings in the envelope diminish the home’s fire-resistant integrity by allowing smoke and flames to enter the home. Tightly sealing the envelope’s primary openings and intersections improves a home’s fire-resistance. Homes built with the right materials and smart detailing have a far better chance of remaining standing after a flashover event. Some of the ways to ensure a tightly sealed envelope include:
  1. Roofs - install a “Class A”, fire-rated material roof, such as standing seam metal, tile, slate, or cementitious composite roofing.
  2. Walls - cover walls in cement board underlayment before siding. Or apply stucco, stone veneer, aluminum siding or other non-combustible finish.
  3. Doors and windows - use aluminum, steel, or clad products with tempered glazing.
  4. Vents and Openings - avoid roof and wall vents or minimize those penetrations if they are otherwise required by code. Install pet doors that are rated for fire. Existing vents can be replaced with fire resistant ones.
  5. Eaves - enclose eaves with stucco or use DensGlass® under the wood, but if exposed wood rafters are still desired, use heavy timber instead of 2x lumber.
  6. Seal the envelope - quite literally. Where materials come together, seal all joints with a non-combustible material.

Next week we will discuss defensible space and the elements surrounding your home.
 
Abeer Sweis