The roof is a critical part of the house because it protects the house from
various risks, the risk of fire included. However, your roof might not resist
fire damage if you don't take the following measures.
Use Class A Materials
A roofing material can either be unrated or belong to one of the three
categories of fire ratings. Unrated materials are often the worst as far as
potential fire damage is concerned. As for the rated materials, Class A is the
best followed by Class B, and then Class C is the least fire resistant.
Avoid unrated materials at all costs if you want to minimize the risk of
roof fire damage. Choose the best-rated roofing material that your budget can
accommodate. Talk to your roofing contractor to help you choose the best
material or your case.
Plug Gaps on the Roof
Even with fireproof roofing material, your roof can still catch fire if some
sections of the roof have damage. For example, missing shingles or damaged
flashing may allow a fire to reach the unprotected inner structures of the roof
and spread. Any gap on the roof that can allow water leaks can also allow the
fire to take root and spread, so plug those gaps.
Keep the Roof Clean
Fire-resistant roofing materials may ignite and burn if you expose them to
high temperatures for extended periods. For example, if your roof is full of
debris, the debris may catch fire and burn for a long time that the roofing
material might also ignite. Therefore, clean your roof regularly to reduce
debris accumulation and the risk of fire.
Clear the Area Around the House
Fire needs fuel to burn. Fuel can be anything like wood, leaves, grass,
plastic, and various forms of windblown debris. The more of these things are
around your house and roof, the higher the risk that fire might leap onto the
roof during an outbreak. Here are a few tips to reduce the available fodder for
fire during an outbreak:
- Trim trees
around the house.
- Clear an
area around the house to create a buffer zone to reduce the spread of
fire.
- Don't
stack firewood close to the house.
- Minimize
attached structures that may spread fire to the house.
Do everything possible to ensure that any fire around your house won't
spread to the roof.
Maintain Your Electrical System
Many roofs have electrical installations or wiring either on or near the
roof. Light fixtures, rooftop HVACs, and conduit pipes are some of these
installations and wiring. If these electrical systems malfunction, this might
trigger an electrical fire that may ravage the roof. Maintain your electrical
system to minimize that risk.
Install a Lighting Arrestor
Lightning is a discharge of electricity from the sky which ionizes and heats
up the air and environment around it. A bolt of lightning can trigger damage
and fire even to the best roofs. The best way to reduce the risk of
lightning-related fire is to install a lightning arrestor on the roof. The
arrestor provides a safe path for the electricity to flow through into the
ground.
Keep the Chimney Clean
Lastly, you also probably need to keep your chimney clean if you don't want
your roof to burn down. When you light a chimney fire, partially combusted
materials form part of the debris and soot that go up the chimney. These
products of partial combustion plus other organic debris may ignite and send
sparks up to the roof. Clean your chimney regularly to reduce that risk.
Consult Econo Roofing for further ways to make your roof fire resistant. We
can also help you repair your roof if it has suffered fire damage. Contact us for all your roofing needs,
and you will not be disappointed.
