Home Fire Safety & Fire-Resistant Products For Your Home | Tips about Wildfires, Roofing, Insurance, and more

At CeDUR, we believe it is important to understand fire protection methods and what you can do to protect your home from fire damage and wildfires. It is wise to familiarize yourself with wildfire mitigation, what causes wildfires, and creating defensible space around your home, especially if you live in a high-risk fire zone or fire prone environment.

Your roof is the first line of defense against wildfires and a CeDUR synthetic roof is the most fire-resistant roofing material that you can purchase. If you currently have a wood shake shingle roof, understand that wood is an extreme fire risk for your home and insurance companies no longer encourage homeowners to install wood shake shingle roofs. The good news for homeowners that want to protect themselves from fire damage and natural disasters is that many insurance companies provide insurance policy discounts to homeowners that install an impact resistant and fire-resistant roof.

In this article we will examine wildfires, wildfire mitigation, fire resistant products for your home, fire safety tips, insurance issues with wood shake shingles, and creating defensible space around your home. We will also discuss fire prevention and fire protection methods and what interior and exterior building products are worth purchasing for your home to better protect your family and your home against wildfires and fire damage.

So, what causes Wildfires?

Three conditions must be present for a wildfire to burn: fuel, oxygen, and a heat source. Firefighters call these three elements “the fire triangle”.

When it comes to causing wildfires, it is difficult to provide one simple answer. There are many factors that contribute; low annual rainfall, low humidity, lightning, dry conditions, underbrush, and high winds all contribute to a disastrous situation for any fire.

History has shown that high wind conditions can take a seemingly innocuous fire, even under control, and spread a fire to structures with wood roofs causing property loss. In the event of a fire, flying embers may cause the fire to spread rapidly. The flames can rapidly spread to adjacent homes by means of burning embers landing on roofs which can spark ignition.

Aside from environmental factors, often wildfires are started by people. The source of many wildfires can be traced to discarded cigarettes, leaving campfires unattended, arson, or losing control of prescribed burns or crop fires.

Pro Tip: Avoid a Wood Shake Shingle Roof

Even though a natural cedar shake wood shingle roof is incredibly beautiful it does come with many flaws. For starters, wood naturally degrades over time and is prone to water damage including moss, mildew, and algae build up. Wood is also prone to splitting and fading and requires routine maintenance. While wood was once an affordable roof option for many homeowners, prices have recently increased, and it is important to pay attention to lumber prices and tariffs on imported Canadian lumber if you are a United States citizen and want to purchase natural cedar wood shake shingles.

It is important to remember that wood is a naturally flammable material and will eventually combust in high enough temperatures. Wood shake shingles can achieve a Class A Fire Rating by using fire retardant chemicals, but these fire-retardant chemicals are not eco-friendly and not reliable. Fire protection for wood shake shingles is provided by pressure impregnating fire retardant polymers into the innermost cells of the wood. Often times it is also difficult to tell when, or if, a roof was fire treated or when it has lost its original treatment by inspection.

The wood shake shingle industry developed wood roofing materials, which are labeled as ‘treated with fire retardant’, to meet increased building code requirements. As fire concern and flammable conditions of un-treated wood became an issue, fire retardant chemicals were applied to help reduce the fire risk of wood roofs. Pressure treated wood shake shingles can receive a Class A Fire Rating when installed with a fire-resistant underlayment system on a roof deck. However, in the event of a fire, it is difficult for firefighters to distinguish between treated and un-treated wood roofs.

As fire resistance of treated and non-treated roofs came into question, some governmental agencies have completely banned the use of wood roofs. In mountain towns and mountain resort communities across the United States, the use of wood shake shingles has been banned. Most recently in Wyoming, the Teton County Board of Commissions voted to prohibit wood roofs in areas where wildfires are a risk, click here to learn more about this ruling in Teton County Wyoming. If you live in a fire prone environment or a hail prone environment, a wood shake shingle roof should be avoided.

Firefighters Triage Operation - Distinguishing Treated from Untreated Wood Roofs

Clearly it would be most beneficial to communities and homeowners if all roofs in fire danger communities were Class A Fire Rated. However, for homeowners that have a wood roof, a serious problem exists for firefighters to distinguish treated wood roofs from untreated wood roofs during a fire.

In the event of a major fire, firefighters may need to perform a triage operation (which house to save first), and in some cases the distinction between treated and un-treated wood is extremely difficult.

Defining and Understanding Home Fire Safety

As a homeowner, understanding home fire safety tips and installing fire-resistant building materials will increase the likelihood of your home surviving a wildfire. Home fire safety is the preventative measures that a homeowner can take to plan and protect themselves and their home in the event of a fire. If you want to learn more about home fire safety it is best to familiarize yourself with these key topics: 1) Wildfire Mitigation, 2) Defensible Space, 3) Wildland Urban Interface (known as WUI).

We will cover these topics below, but keep in mind that the first and most important step in home fire safety is installing smoke detector alarms on every level of your home. Be sure to test smoke alarms often and remember that smoke alarm batteries should be checked every month to ensure fire alarms are working properly. Smoke detectors should be properly installed and tested inside every bedroom of the home and outside sleeping areas for maximum fire protection. Do not forget to practice a fire escape plan with your family and practice the fire plan at least twice a year.

1) What is Wildfire Mitigation?

Wildfire mitigation is the implementation of a variety of precautionary measures to protect a building from wildfire. It is everything you do before a wildfire ignites to reduce the chance of a wildfire causing damage. Essentially, it is a preventative tactic used to mitigate risk of fire and better protect a home.

To mitigate risk of wildfire damage, a home located in a mountain community or high risk fire zone should have a Class A Fire Rated roof covering, fire resistant vents, fire resistant tempered glass windows, and at least 6 inches of vertical clearance between a homes siding and the ground. One must also remove combustible debris from the roof deck and gutters (needles, leaves), and replace combustible gates or fencing that is within 5 feet of a home. Fire resistant and ember resistant screen vents, attic vents, roof vents and foundation vents are also highly recommended.

Homes in dry areas or heavily forested areas, should be inspected regularly and maintained appropriately. Some of the measures are designed to modify the forest environment surrounding a structure, while others focus on modifying the construction of a structure itself by changing it’s location or improving its ability to withstand a wildfire without being dependent upon fire suppression resources.

Who Is Responsible for Wildfire Mitigation?

Homeowners are primarily responsible for wildfire mitigation. For homeowners who are building a new home, some counties may require individuals to create and implement a Wildfire Mitigation Plan per local Building and Land Use Codes. This includes creating, defining, and maintaining the defensible space around your home. By doing Wildfire Mitigation work, property owners can substantially increase their safety and reduce their risk. Taking precautionary measures can further decrease your homes risk of damage in the event of a fire.

2. What is Defensible Space?

Defensible space is the area around a home or building in which vegetation, debris, and combustible fuels have been cleared, treated, or reduced to slow the spread of fire away from the building.

Creating defensible space is important to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. It’s the area you create between your property and the grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland area that surrounds it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire, and it helps protect your home from catching fire.

How to Maintain Defensible Space around your home

Creating defensible space around your home can increase your likelihood of your home surviving a wildfire and better protect you and your family from wildfire damage. Proper clearance to 100 feet can dramatically increases the chance of your home surviving a wildfire. Know how to maintain defensible space for your home by looking at the drawing below.

In January 2005, a new California state law became effective that extended the defensible space around homes and structures from 30 feet to 100 feet. According to the City of San Mateo, California website: “In January 2005 a new state law became effective that extended the defensible space clearance around homes and structures from 30 feet to 100 feet. Proper clearance to 100 feet dramatically increases the chance of your house surviving a wildfire. This defensible space also provides firefighter safety when protecting homes during a fire.” While this is a California state law, if you live in another state, we recommend you maintain this same defensible space around your property if possible.

For example, in Boulder Colorado, Boulder County’s Building and Land Use Codes require individuals who are constructing a new home in forested areas, or remodeling existing homes, to create and implement a Wildfire Mitigation Plan, which includes the creation and maintenance of effective defensible space. Homeowners living in fire prone environments are encouraged, but not required, to create and maintain effective defensible space.

Wildfire Risk Mitigation | Create Defensible Space:

Defensible Space Zone 1

Defensible Space Zone 1 extends 30 feet out from buildings, structures, decks, etc.

• Remove all dead plants, grass and weeds (vegetation). Remove dead or dry leaves and pine needles from your yard, roof and rain gutters. Remove branches that hang over your roof and keep dead branches 10 feet away from your chimney. Remove or prune flammable plants and shrubs near windows. Remove vegetation and items that could catch fire from around and under decks.

• Trim trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees. Create a separation between trees, shrubs and items that could catch fire, such as patio furniture, wood piles, swing sets, etc.

• Relocate wood piles into Zone 2.

Defensible Space Zone 2

Defensible Space Zone 2 extends 100 feet out from buildings, structures, decks, etc.

• Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of 4 inches. Create horizontal spacing between shrubs and trees. Create vertical spacing between grass, shrubs and trees.

• Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches. However, they may be permitted to a depth of 3 inches.

• Reduce the flammability of your home as much as possible. Install ember resistant vents, stand-alone Class A roofing materials (CeDUR), external sprinklers operated by an independent system, and remove flammable materials from around the structure/home.

3. What is Wildland Urban Interface and Building Codes?

Wildland Urban Interface is defined as the area where houses are in or near wildland vegetation, and this is the area where wildfires pose the greatest risk to people due to the proximity of flammable vegetation.

Building codes have been established to protect homes within Wildland Urban Interface areas from firestorms. Establishments such as the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) help keep citizens aware and informed of the protection that can be taken to ensure proper fire safety.

The Importance of Building Codes and Fire Resistance Ratings

Building codes are important because they can safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of occupants within a building. In the United States, most jurisdictions have moved toward some edition of the International Code Council (ICC), the International Building Code (IBC), and the International Residential Code (IRC). The objective of these establishments is to protect citizens and properties from fire and safeguard the health and safety of building occupants.

Fire resistance ratings have been established for building materials and building codes. There are the three fire resistance ratings: Class A, Class B, and Class C rated. Keep in mind that Class A rated building materials provide the best fire protection.

• Class A Fire Rating - severe fire test exposure - able to withstand severe fire exposure

• Class B Fire Rating - moderate fire test exposure - able to withstand moderate fire exposure

• Class C Fire Rating - light fire test exposure - able to withstand light fire exposure

Insurance Companies Encourage Homeowners to Install Fire Resistant Roofs

Since wildfires are so prevalent and such a risk to homeowners, insurance companies are now recognizing the inherent dangers of wood shake shingle roofs. In some cases, insurance providers impose a costly premium for such a roof, or they can simply refuse coverage altogether. Insurance companies offer direct benefits for homeowners that install impact resistant and fire-resistant roofing products and want to protect themselves against fire damage.

Homeowners Insurance Policy Savings

In California and many other states, insurance companies provide a discount for homes that have a Class A Fire Rated roof to get more homeowners to install durable and lasting roofs. If you are looking to receive insurance discounts for your roof covering, it is recommended that you install a synthetic composite roofing material like CeDUR that has a Class A Fire Rating and Class 4 Impact Rating.

Companies like State Farm, Chubb, USAA, American Family Insurance, Amica, AllState and others provide significant discounts for homeowners that install a durable roofing material like CeDUR that is Class A fire rated and Class 4 impact rated. Install a Class 4 Impact Rated roof like CeDUR and you have the ability to save money on your homeowners insurance policy.

Roofing Products Eligible for Impact Resistance Discounts

With proper testing and certification, insurance companies are willing to provide homeowners with discounts for installing a Class 4 UL 2218 impact resistant roof. CeDUR synthetic roofing products are eligible for impact resistance discounts and CeDUR is listed on State Farm’s Premium Credits Product Listing.

Below is a link to the State Farm Insurance list of roofing products that are eligible for impact resistance discounts. CeDUR can be found on this State Farm list under “Alternative Materials” on page 1 of this document. (can be found under: Colorado Roofing Products LLC dba CeDUR).

Fire Resistant Building Products for Your Home

Wildfires constantly threaten homeowners, especially homeowners living in high risk fire zones and mountain communities throughout the United States. Your roof is the first line of defense against wildfires so installing roofing materials that are flammable and combustible like asphalt shingles and wood shake shingles should be avoided at all costs. However, there are certain building materials products that you can purchase and install to better protect your home in the fight against fire. Purchasing fire-resistant materials for your home like the ones listed below can improve your homes property value and fire protection.

Fire protection systems and purchasing fire-resistant building materials has become a necessity for homeowners living in fire prone environments or Wildland Urban Interface fire zones. When it comes to building materials and construction materials in general, keep in mind that some of the most fire-resistant construction materials are composed of brick, concrete, stainless steel, and gypsum. Below are fire-resistant products that you may want to consider purchasing for your home.

Fire Prevention

Fire Prevention is the act of taking preventative steps to reduce the fire hazards that exist inside your home. Fire prevention includes paying attention to things inside of your home that can start or worsen a fire such as: cleaning dirty fireplaces, cleaning clogged dryer vents, maintaining heat and electrical systems, reducing the amount of overloaded electrical sockets, and properly storing flammable materials. These maintenance methods are relatively cost free and can reduce fire risk inside your home.

Fire prevention methods reduce potential hazards through regular inspections and testing the heat and electrical system in your home. If you would like more information and how to adhere to your states local fire codes, visit the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Fire Protection Systems

Fire Protection Systems work together to detect fire and mitigate fire risk. Fire protection systems are inside of a building or home and help alert occupants. Fire protection systems include these items inside your home like; fire alarms, smoke detectors, suppression systems, sprinkler systems, extinguishers, and any technology that allows you to alert people of a fire or mitigate fire damage.

A fire sprinkler system is the most common type of fire protection system and acts as a water supply system that is designed to suppress a fire using adequate water pressure. That water pressure is distributed through a water piping system. In the event of a fire, a fire sprinkler system will attempt to suppress the flames and put out the fire.

Fire and Ember Safe Vents

As we stated, your roof is the first line of defense against wildfires so it is wise to invest in fire safe vents for your roof if you live in a high risk fire zone. Vulcan Vent manufactures ember and wildfire resistant vents for existing homes and new build homes. In the event of a fire, flying embers may cause the fire to spread rapidly. The flames can rapidly spread to adjacent homes by means of burning embers landing on roofs which can spark ignition. The team at Vulcan Vent has developed a product that is designed to be fire and ember safe and Vulcan Vents can be purchased at retailers like Home Depot, ABC Supply, Ace Hardware and more. An ember catching screen blocks dangerous embers during ember attacks long before the fire arrives. When a wildfire nears and the Vulcan Vent reaches the critical temperature, the intumescent coating on the matrix structure expands, creating an insulating barrier from fire and embers.

Fire-Resistant Windows

Fire proof and fire-resistant windows are windows that are resistant to fire or offer the highest levels of fire resistance in the face of fire. It is important to know that when it comes to fire proof windows, one of the leaders in this space is Technical Glass Products (TGP), which is North America’s most specified fire rated glass company.

For large commercial projects, one of the best fire proof windows on the market is Fyre-Tec steel windows. Fyre-Tec windows are perfect for office buildings, schools, store-fronts, government buildings and large structures that require fire proof windows to keep occupants safe.

For homeowners and residential projects, Pilkington Pyrostop windows are extremely fire-resistant and able to withstand up to two hours of constant burning.

Pella Triple Paned Designer Series windows offer good fire protection and Energy Star insulation benefits. Click here to learn more about Pella fire-resistant windows.

Fire-Resistant Garage Doors

Fire-resistant garage doors can provide your home with additional peace of mind during a fire. Fire rated steel garage doors like those made by Overhead Door provide extreme fire resistance. Another option, Wayne Dalton garage doors, have a center core made of polyurethane foam which is resistant to fire. A resin coating on the door's exterior creates a protective barrier and helps prevent the spread of flames.

Fire-Resistant Doors

Fire Proof Doors are constructed to slow or prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Fire proof doors are mainly composed of glass, aluminum, steel or gypsum. Often overlooked, fire proof doors are a great home improvement addition because they look modern and offer many safety benefits. Fire proof doors give people a chance to safely escape a home during a fire. They can also help prevent the fire or smoke from spreading, and keep the fire contained to a particular room while giving occupants more time to escape during a fire.

Fire proof doors provide fire resistance within your home and are a smart home improvement investment, here are a few options:

• Steel Doors

  • Steel is the most effective material against fire, so steel doors like those made by Steel Craft, TruDoor and ThermaTru are among the most resistant door options. Click here to learn more about Steel Craft fire-resistant doors, click here to learn more TruDoor fire-resistant steel doors, click here to learn about ThermaTru steel doors.

  • For price conscious consumers, here is a steel door made by JELD WEN. This fire-resistant door is affordable and provides good value.

• Masonite Doors

  • Masonite doors can also be fire treated and framed with steel, plus they are an energy efficient affordable option when compared to typical wood doors.

  • It is important to note that Masonite Doors pair best with steel frames which provide more fire protection.

Kitchen Fire Suppression System

Another overlooked area of your home that can help prevent and suppress fire spread is the kitchen. Many house fires begin in the kitchen and installing a fire suppression system can decrease the likelihood of a kitchen fire causing fire damage inside your home.

For large commercial projects and buildings, having a company like Cintas inspect your business and offer kitchen fire suppression advice is a wise decision, click here to learn more about the services Cintas can provide.

For most homeowners and residential building owners, having a fire suppression kitchen system means having a custom stove and cooktop installed. Companies like Kitchen Fire Stop and All State Fire Equipment offer kitchen solutions for residential buildings.

Fire-Resistant Drywall

Nowadays many drywall products are fire rated and fire-resistant. What makes drywall so fire-resistant is gypsum. Gypsum features a noncombustible core that contains chemically combined water which contributes to its effectiveness as a fire retardant. If you are building a home in a high risk fire zone be sure to use fireproof or fire-resistant drywall throughout the home.

Fire-Resistant Roofing Products

The fire-resistant products listed above provide your home with superior fire resistance, and in the event of a fire, can increase the likelihood that your home survives a wildfire. By purchasing these products and pairing them together with a Class A fire resistant roof, you can help protect your home and your family from wildfires and fire damage. Your roof is your first line of defense against natures elements, so choosing a fire-resistant and impact resistant roofing product like CeDUR will improve your homes property value, curb appeal and durability.

CeDUR Synthetic Roofs Provide Advanced Fire Protection

When we first created CeDUR, we were aware that homeowners love the appearance of wood shake shingles, but due to fire danger, impact resistance requirements (hail), strict ordinances forbidding the use of wood roofing, and the declining longevity of cedar shakes, homeowners would have to use a different material that would dramatically and negatively effect the appearance of their home.

The material we use to manufacture CeDUR allows us to make the only wood shake replacement product that is virtually indistinguishable from natural cedar shakes and is stand-alone Class A Fire Rated. In the event of a fire, a CeDUR synthetic roof is stand-alone Class A Fire Rated and can extinguish flame spread in the event of a fire and will not allow a flame to propagate on the surface of the product. Unlike wood shake shingles which are highly flammable, CeDUR shakes are fire-resistant and no other building materials manufacturer can replicate the extreme fire resistance and natural wood shake beauty better than CeDUR.

CeDUR products look just like real wood and are designed and engineered to provide lasting performance with our Class 4 Impact Rating (UL 2218) and stand-alone Class A Fire Rating (ASTM E108). Not only are insurance discounts available for homeowners that install a CeDUR Class 4 impact resistant roof, but there are many long-term benefits including curb appeal increase and property value increase. If you live in a fire prone community, it is best to choose a roofing material that is not only Class A Fire Rated but is also Class 4 Impact Rated and has been tested and certified by a certified testing laboratory.

Most high-end synthetic, composite, or polymer based roofing products are marketed as “Class A Fire-Resistant”. However, they are able to achieve that Class A fire rating by using a special fire-resistant underlayment during the roof installation, in other words the product itself is not Class A Fire Rated rather the complete roofing system is (which includes the underlayment system). It is important to remember that CeDUR is the only stand-alone Class A Fire Rated roofing material that does not require a special fire-resistant underlayment during installation.

When comparing synthetic roofing materials to alternative roofing materials, the impact on an individual homeowner when upgrading their roof may be negligible when all costs for the materials are amortized over the life of the roof covering. When you consider installation costs, life expectancy, and warranty, treated wood shake shingles can be expensive. If you are weighing your roofing options and want a fire resistant product, give CeDUR some consideration!

Extreme Fire Resistance with CeDUR Class A Fire Rated Roofing Products

CeDUR Synthetic Roofing Products are stand-alone Class A Fire Rated, so with a CeDUR roof there is no need for chemical treatments, chemical preservatives, or a special fire-resistant underlayment to be installed in order for your roof to achieve a Class A Fire Rating. CeDUR shakes are designed and engineered to resist extreme temperatures with minimal heat transfer.

During the CeDUR Class A burning brand test, CeDUR shakes reached temperatures in excess of 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit and did not ignite. By comparison, wood shake shingles ignite at just 375 degrees Fahrenheit.