With the massive fires sweeping across part of Australia, it is not surprising that many people are wondering about the best way to protect their homes from fire. The good news is that you don’t have to build a house from scratch to make it fireproof, although it is easier to incorporate all the latest fireproof technology into a new build.
All you have to do is understand the principles of building a fireproof home and incorporate as many of them as you can into your home.
Insulated Concrete
Concrete remains one of the best materials to build with, although perhaps not a traditional choice in Australia. Concrete doesn’t burn like wood and other materials.
You can use concrete blocks to build the walls of your home. Or, you can purchase pre-formed sections that are faster to erect but will need to be created off-site and delivered to your home.
Perhaps the best option is to use insulated concrete forms (ICF), these are effectively blocks of polystyrene encased in concrete. They have the strength of concrete and are fireproof while being great at insulating your home. That will make it easier to keep it the right temperature inside.
Roofing Materials
The roof is usually made of tiles and wood, which means that t can catch on fire very easily, even if you have concrete walls. You’ll need to use metal on the roof, fireproof siding, or even create the roof out of concrete. Fireproof tiles or siding are generally made from stone, brick, or stucco.
These materials will prevent the fire from destroying your home.
However, if you’re home is already built, you’re probably not going to want to build a shell around me with ICFs. Changing the roof material should be a straightforward and worthwhile investment.
If you want to protect the wooden walls, it’s been a good idea to use the same material that you add to your roof and cover your walls. This will help to fireproof your home.
Internal Extras
Don’t forget that protecting your home from the fire also means looking at the inside of your home. A fire can start inside and destroy your home unless you take precautions.
For example, smoke curtains are a great way of containing a fire. They are fireproof and will prevent the fire from spreading outside of the room it started in.
You should also invest in smoke alarms to give you a warning, it won’t stop your house from burning, but it will give you time to either deal with it or get out.
It is also a good idea to have your home inspected. This will verify whether the floors are separated, preventing the fire from moving between levels. If they’re not, you should be able to use fireproof materials to slow the process of any fire.
Of course, having a detached house helps as there is no risk of family jumping from the neighbor’s property to yours. If you’re planning on building a home, then you should opt for detached and budget for using fireproof materials, it will pay off in the long run.
