A 120-acre brush fire in Florida’s St. Lucie County damaged nine homes in March causing 2,500 residents to evacuate. High winds caused the fire to spread quickly and, although the fire was mostly contained in a day or so, the fire continued to glow and embers can travel more than a mile which can ignite a home.
An article on Disaster Safety http://www.disastersafety.org/blog/florida-fire-damages-nine-homes/ has the following tips on reducing roof vulnerability during a wildfire. In reading them, keep in mind that following emergency instructions during a wildfire is crucial, but preventative measures are just as important.
Reducing Roof Vulnerability
Limit the amount of debris that accumulates at the intersections between vertical walls and roof:
Regularly removing vegetative debris from the roof.
Replace combustible siding with noncombustible (such as a fiber cement product) or ignition-resistant material (such as exterior rated, fire-retardant treated wood).
Add metal flashing at the base of the wall to provides additional protection to the combustible siding.
Regularly clean and remove debris from gutters.
Consider gutter covers, which can minimize the accumulation of debris in gutters.
Some gutter covers (for example, those that have a rounded design) can result in the accumulation of debris on the roof side of the cover.
Do not expect gutter covers to eliminate the need for maintenance to remove debris.
If a cover is used, flat covers that are parallel to the slope of the roof covering should minimize the accumulation of debris behind the cover.
IBHS recommends the use of an integrated gutter (a combination of gutter and roof edge flashing) will help protect the fascia and roof sheathing.
Block gaps between the tiles and roof deck on barrel tile roof coverings and other roof types.
Use either manufacturer supplied materials or with a mortar or cement mixture.
IBHS recommends the use of end-stopping products that minimize the accumulation of debris in the space between the roof deck and covering and the entry of embers during wildfire
No comments:
Post a Comment