Hello World! Welcome Friends! Your home is your sanctuary, but you need to ensure it’s fire safe, especially if you live somewhere prone to summer wildfires.
There are many materials to build and remodel your home, but some are better at dealing with flames than others.
Here are six tips to ensure your home can take the heat long enough for you and your family to get to safety.
1. Choose the Right Siding
You can choose attractive siding for your home that is resistant to catching or spreading fire.
Metal, stone, brick, concrete, stucco and tile siding are all great options for your home exterior to keep it fire-resistant.
Avoid untreated wood options, as they will spread fire quickly. Vinyl is also hazardous but is okay if there are no cracks to allow flames into your home.
When building or renovating your exterior, pay extra attention to underfloor areas, as they are the most vulnerable to holding and spreading fire.
2. Replace Solid Wood Doors
Your door is an access point for you, your guests and fires, so it’s important to choose one that can resist the flames. Doors with a metal core or fiber cement core are your best bet to keep fire out of your home and from spreading inside your home.
Solid wood doors only offer about 20 minutes of fire protection. If you’re unaware of an approaching home or wildfire, that may not be enough time to get everyone out safely. You can check here for a variety of door closer options to install in your home, ensuring that wherever the fire is, it is contained for a longer period of time than if the door was open.
Metal garage doors are another access point that keeps fires out of your home. Ensure that they’re correctly fitted to avoid embers getting into your home.
3. Use Fire-Resistant Roofing Materials
If you have a fire-resistant exterior, you must also have a fire-resistant roof.
Fire-resistant materials, like metal and concrete, can keep flames from quickly entering your home, giving you and your family more time to escape.
If you’re designing a home, consider a steeper roof pitch instead of a flat since they fare better during a fire. Embers will roll off the angle before they can burn through.
Keep in mind that embers carried by the wind can travel up to seven miles and can start secondary fires by landing in your gutter. Metal gutters are safer than vinyl, which can quickly melt through and spread flames to the rest of your home. Ensure you clean your gutters frequently to avoid leaves and branches acting as kindling.
4. Focus on Your Foundation
This tip applies solely to people building a home, but keep your foundation in mind if you’re designing your new abode.
Your foundation is your house’s base, making it essential to keep flames from spreading inside. The best foundation choice to prevent fire from affecting your home is insulated concrete forms (ICFs). These are reinforced concrete blocks placed together to create a seal.
ICFs resist many forms of damage, including melting and cracking from impact. This makes it the ideal foundation material to keep your home safe from spreading fire.
5. Choose Secure Windows
Windows are a weak link since the heat from a fire can shatter them, creating an entrance for flames into your home.
Double-glazed windows tempered glass is a sturdier option that holds up better than a single-glazed pane.
If you live in an area prone to fires, it might be worth looking into fire safety or wire glass, which won’t shatter if a flame breaches.
For any window, a smaller pane will do better than a larger one and a steel or aluminum frame offers maximum protection. If you’re building, say no to the acrylic skylight, as it can create a giant hole in your roof for fire to fall in.
In areas where wildfires are common, consider installing roll-down fire doors around your exterior that protect windows from flames.
6. Consider Your Landscaping
Just as the materials of your home play a part in protecting you and your family, so does your yard.
Choose composite over wood decking, as wood decks can fuel wildfires and guide them to your home. If you use wood, ensure that the manufacturer treats it with a fire-resistant coating.
If you’re not looking for a traditional wood appearance, you can also consider a stone, concrete patio or terrace that will resist flames.
The same rules apply when building a fence or exterior wall. You don’t want any barrier to your home easily susceptible to fire.
If you have a garden, do your best to keep dry or dead plants at bay to prevent them from fueling a fire. Keep outdoor plants five feet away from your home’s exterior to prevent a quick spread.
Other Fire Safety Tips
If a fire does get to your home, there are other things you can do to protect the people and animals in your household.
- Keep a Fire Extinguisher Handy – Have a home fire extinguisher in the kitchen or near a fireplace to quickly put out flames before they get out of hand.
- Replace Smoke Detector Batteries – To ensure they work properly, replace the batteries every six months and press the test button to check that they’re working properly.
- Have an Escape Plan – Focus on paths to exterior doors or getting out of low windows. It’s good for each family member–especially kids and the elderly– to have these routes posted in their bedroom or other common areas. The panic from a fire can disorient you, making it hard to remember basic things.
- Prepare an Emergency Kit – Have a backpack with essential items ready for each family member. Include a change of clothes, a few days’ worth of any essential prescriptions, a first-aid kit, bottles of water and pet food.
- Keep Leashes/Carriers Close – While you should always prioritize your and your family’s safety, there are ways to make it easier to save your furry friends. Don’t keep leashes or pet carriers in one location. Having them scattered throughout your home will make it easier to grab your pets before a fire gets close.
- Choose a Meeting Spot – Try to choose an easily recognizable spot close but not so close that the place would be unsafe. Ideas include a street or stop sign at the end of your road or an easily-identifiable house.
Keeping Your Home Fire Safe
No one wants to believe that a house fire can happen to them. Flames are unpredictable, so you must be as prepared as possible if disaster strikes.
By creating a fire-safe home, you can ensure that you and your family are as safe as possible.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
5 Home Modifications to Make Following a Spinal Injury
The Pros and Cons of Cohabiting with Your Partner in London
4 Practical Ways to Age Proof Your Home
Hazardous Waste Disposal Methods: Which One to Use?
8 Great Details to Add to Your Garden
How to Pick the Perfect Outfit for a Special Occasion
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Toodles,
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