Every summer we see the devastating effects of bushfires. However, fire damage to homes isn’t restricted to summer, so we all need ways to protect our home and loved ones. Whether you’re building a new home from scratch or you just want to improve fire safety in your current home, there’s plenty of things you can do. From fire resistant home insulation to using non-flammable building material, we can all be more fire safe.
Read on to learn about a few ways you can make sure your home is prepared in case of fire.
Cleaning up Your Yard
It sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s something that many people forget to do. A home’s outdoor areas aren’t safe from fire just because the flames aren’t nearby. Flying embers can cause havoc from an incredible distance in windy conditions. Your home could be well clear of an actual fire, but embers can travel a long distance and ignite in your own backyard – literally.
Keep your yard clear of things like dry timber, grass clippings, dead weeds and any other flammable debris. Think of your outdoor areas as a barrier to your home. Fire can spread quickly with the right fuel, so if your yards are clear, it can at least give you time to act.
You may even want to consider the type of vegetation. Certain plants and trees contain highly flammable sap, while others are more fire resistant. If you’re planting, try to aim for plants that are less likely to catch fire easily.
Keep Your Roof Safe
Once again, embers are the primary concern when it comes to your roof. Timber roofing is obviously flammable, and with flying embers around it can be difficult to protect. If you do have timber roofing, there are some things you can do to stay more fire resistant.
Firstly, clearing gutters of dead leaves and debris is essential. It only takes a small spark to start a dangerous fire in your gutters, and it will spread fast. Secondly, if there are fires in the area, try to hose down your roof. While it isn’t a foolproof plan, a wet roof can extinguish embers.
If you’re building or upgrading your roof, stay away from timber. Using tiles or metal roofing products will drastically minimise the risk from bushfire embers.
Choose Fire Resistant Insulation
Many older forms of home insulation are incredibly flammable. This poses a huge risk to your family and home if a fire should start inside. A home’s roof cavity and walls are usually filled with insulation. If part of it catches fire, it will spread, almost certainly too quickly for you to stop it.
Luckily, there’s a solution. You can now purchase fire resistant insulation, made from non-combustible products. Not only are these forms of insulation safer in a fire, they’re usually eco-friendly too.
If you’re building, renovating, or just looking to upgrade your home insulation, don’t put your home and family at risk be sure to do your research and get the insulation that is right for your home.