Wildfire Season is Here
Image of a fireproof home constructed in Santa Rosa.
Written by ajdbuilderadmin
With fire season officially upon us, we thought we would write a series of blogs to discuss the importance of building a fireproof home, installing fire suppression systems in your home and yard, having a fire evacuation plan, useful apps for staying connected during a wildfire – and the contents to include in an evacuation survival backpack.
Considerations for designing and building a fireproof home.
Today’s Wildfire Series is about thoughtful design and materials to be utilized when constructing a fireproof home. Contrary to popular belief, fire resistant materials are not proving to be more costly. In fact, fire rsistent homes can be constructed for roughly the same cost as a traditional home.
This video is a perfect example of creating a fireproof home without giving up any of the amenities or design one might expect with a traditional home. For this property, the area’s dry climate in summer brings with is the risk of wildfires, so adhering to fire wise design principles was a must.
A first line of defense to stop fire from finding their way into your home’s interior, is to keep burning debris out of the home’s cracks and openings.
Concrete walls, interior and exterior sprinkler systems, wire mesh covers over vents, and double paned windows are some of the basic building strategies that can be used to ensure the exterior can withstand prolonged exposure to the flames without failing and letting the flames inside.
Prior to a breach of fire on the external walls of a home, the surrounding areas should be designed to combat the threat of fire.
Driveways should be designed to accommodate fire crews and their equipment and to facilitate their firefighting efforts.
If you’d like to add a patio, it’s best to avoid wood or composite decking. Other visually appealing and flame-resistant options include decorative metallic decking, stone or concrete pavers, and outdoor porcelain tile.
You do not have to compromise on aesthetics to have a fire resistant lawn.
Enhance your curbside appeal with fire-resistant plants in your outdoor space. Fortunately, California residents have plenty of beautiful, fire and drought resistant plants to choose:
- French Lavender
- Red Monkey Flower
- California Fuchsia
- Sage
- California Lilac
- Ornamental Strawberry
- Yellow Ice Plant
- California Red Bud
- Coreopsis
Install sprinkler heads on the roof, over decks and/or patios, around the house and throughout your surrounding grounds, as an added safeguard against approaching wildfires.
A new home construction featuring a metal roof and installed sprinkler system.
At AJD Builders, we promote sustainable and fire resistent home construction. It is important to us that our clients homes will avoid some of the potentially hazardous materials used in traditional home construction, while feeling a sense of comfort in a fire resistant built home.
Sustainable homes offer a higher reported occupant satisfaction, and typically have a higher resale value. Fire resistent homes are a must have in Northern California.
Whether you are in the market to build a new home or a fire rebuild, contact AJD Builders INC and let’s discuss a quality built, sustainable property for you.
Written by ajdbuilderadmin
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