Keeping you and your family safe, as well as properly maintaining your property, can be overwhelming. Fire is one of the most damaging and fatal causes of accidents. It’s important to be informed on how you can reduce fire risk to your home. Let’s start with how you can protect and reduce fire damage to your roof. One of the area's best restoration companies discusses ways how you can effectively reduce fire risk to your roof.
Reducing fire risk to your home is possible with the right preventive maintenance measures. Starting with your roof that’s essential to your home’s integrity. It’s your responsibility to properly maintain its durability and functionality. Let’s start with how fire or heavy smoke can affect your asphalt shingles.
The Effects of Fire on Your Asphalt Shingles Roof
Reducing the risk of fire damage on your roof is also a countermeasure in protecting your home from nearby fire accidents. A big and strong fire accident can still affect your roofing if it’s close enough. The intense heat and smoke can cause heat damage to your asphalt shingles. Your asphalt shingles can be melted or distorted. It can also cause blistering and burning embers.
When this happens, your roofing is already compromised. It’s best to contact your trusted roofing contractor for a professional roof inspection. Your whole roofing system, including your roof decking and gutter, will be inspected for heat damage. During their assessment, they can determine if you need a roof replacement or an intensive repair.
Reduce Risk of Fire Damage to Your Roof
The following are some of the effective ways to protect your roof from fire damage:
1. High-Quality Roofing Material
Roofing materials are rated based on how they are resistant to fire. It’s always best to invest in the best-rated fire-resistant roofing materials. For your safety, don’t use unrated roofing materials in your home. Roofing materials are rated into three categories, Class A, Class B and Class C.
The least resistant group of roofing materials is Class C. These are materials that only provide light protection from fire including plywood and hardboard panels. In most cases, once these materials are damaged by fire, you’ll be needing a roof replacement. Meanwhile, Class B is more effective against moderate fire and heat exposures. These materials are combustible but are treated with fire-retardant solutions to improve their fire-resistant capabilities. Samples of Class B materials are pressure-treated shakes and shingles.
The materials that are most resistant to fire are under the category of Class A. Asphalt fiberglass shingles and concrete tiles are some of the common Class A roofing materials. These materials are high-quality, durable, and spread fire slowly. Decreasing the speed of fire spread can give you more time to kill the fire or evacuate to safety. They are your best option for materials that can reduce the risk of fire damage to your roof.
You can choose the right Class A roofing material that’s suitable for your home’s style and architecture. It’s a smart investment, as fire-resistant quality materials also offer other advantages for your home. Hiring a professional roofer to help you choose a rated material for you is advised. They are also helpful in roof repair and maintenance.
2. Maintain Cleanliness
You should always keep your roof clean and free of debris. When dirt and debris accumulate and are exposed to high temperatures for a long time, they can start a fire. Keeping your roof clean reduces the chances of a fire starting. Clean your whole roof, as well as your attic. Clear out unnecessary debris and things that can easily start or spread the fire. This includes any installation in your roofing like your vents and gutters.
It’s best to lessen combustible materials in your home. Clutter and overstacking things in your attic is a fire risk. Fire preventive measures include monitoring your electricals and any heat source near or on your roof. You should also keep your flammable belongings away from light materials in your home. They should be stored properly in clean storage.
Clearing out the surroundings of your roofing and home also helps. Trim overgrown trees and plants around your home. Don’t stack and firewood beside your home and don’t crowd unnecessary things in your siding. By cleaning around outside your home, you’ll be creating a buffer zone that can slow down and prevent the fire from spreading outside.
3. Keep Your Roof Free of Gaps
In addition to reasons why you should not ignore roof damage and gaps, did you know that keeping your roof free of gaps can reduce fire risk to your roof? Even a fireproof roofing material is only effective if its surface is not compromised. A gap can easily allow the fire to spread inside your roofing structure that is most likely not fire-resistant. You should never ignore your roof gaps. Even without the risk of fire, roof gaps should be fixed immediately. Roof gaps and holes can expose and weaken your roofing structure. They can cause more serious issues to your roof. Contacting a roof repair contractor can help you deal with roof gaps, missing shingles, and damaged flashing.
4. Install a Lighting Arrestor
Fire in your roof can also be caused by a bolt of lightning struck. They happen very rarely but they’re not impossible. If you’re living in an area that experiences a thunderstorm and lightning most of the year, installing a lightning arrestor on your roof is a smart investment. Lightning alone is dangerous and fatal. A bolt of lightning can start a fire in your home even with fire-resistant roofing materials. A lightning arrestor on your roof is the best way to protect your home from lightning-related fire accidents. This effective tool lets the electricity flow to the ground safely instead of to your home.
Anderson Restoration LLC is one of the best restoration companies that offer quality and insured professional services. Call us at (281) 376-7474 for Houston and Cypress areas. For Grapevine, call us at (817) 226-2111 or you can fill out our contact form to book an appointment.
