Please take a good look at this roof from the outside. Notice how the roofing material was penetrated by the fire? Time is of the essence when fires occur. Homes can burn to the ground in minutes. However, when the fire is able to make it to the attic under a wood shake roof, the fire can easily penetrate the open sheeting of the roofing material. Wood shake roofing is different. It is not a solid deck of plywood like most other roofs. Typically, people do not die under the wood shake roof at the rates of other roofing. Solid decking prevents rapid penetration of the roof by fire. Why is this important? Because if you can ventilate the roof and release the heat and smoke, fresh air is drawn into the home.
So, ask yourself these basic questions:
(1) Where do fires normally start?
(2) What is the primary cause of death in a fire?
(3) What kind of roofing material will penetrate the fastest in a fire to release the heat and smoke so you can get out alive?
So, ask yourself these basic questions:
(1) Where do fires normally start?
(2) What is the primary cause of death in a fire?
(3) What kind of roofing material will penetrate the fastest in a fire to release the heat and smoke so you can get out alive?
So, let's have a look inside the above roof to see where the fire went. Notice the skip sheathing. There is no solid decking under this roofing material. The roofing material has open sheathing in order to easily allow the wood shake roofing to dry after rain. The roof breathes. The entire roof is vented. When the fire meets this material, it sees dry 1 x 4 "sticks" and 30 lb felt paper (petroleum-saturated heavy paper material). The only thing better than sticks and paper is oil-soaked paper with dry sticks. The roof burns through rapidly.
Please notice how there is minimum damage to the other parts of the roof decking, while you can see daylight through the hole cut by the fire.
This is an advantage to the firefighter. Emergency personnel can go into the home to rescue occupants if they are not delayed by the need to cut a hole in the roof. Emergency rescue personnel cannot enter a building if it unsafe for them. They ventilate the roof so they can enter and find you. Time is of the essence.
Please notice how there is minimum damage to the other parts of the roof decking, while you can see daylight through the hole cut by the fire.
This is an advantage to the firefighter. Emergency personnel can go into the home to rescue occupants if they are not delayed by the need to cut a hole in the roof. Emergency rescue personnel cannot enter a building if it unsafe for them. They ventilate the roof so they can enter and find you. Time is of the essence.
Another example of roof penetration by fire. This was an abandoned home. Notice the smoke damage in the windows on the second floor. If the heat from the fire had not vented through the roof at the other end of the house, it is likely that the fire would have consumed the top floor. This home can be saved.
By comparison, this asphalt shingle roof did not penetrate in the fire. To the right on the top of the roof you can see where the fire personnel had to cut a ventilation hole through the roofing. Please notice how the fire lapped the edges of the roof, and completely destroyed the interior. Notice how the rafters collapsed on the left side, where the roofing is caving in.
Given a choice, would you rather be in a home that lets the fire through the roof, or not?
Given a choice, would you rather be in a home that lets the fire through the roof, or not?
Here is a sad case of a homeowner putting a metal roof over his wood shingle roof. This resulted in his death. When I talked to Chris about replacing his roof, I warned him about this. His reply was "Let me talk to my son, and I'll get back to you."
In the case of steel roofing, they are noted restraining fire and smoke. Ironically, it is a sales point. However, a fireman must use a carbon steel saw to cut through the metal roofing. That is the beginning of his problem. Now, he must put out the fire in the wood roofing trapped under the steel roofing. That is why you see the roofing peeled back in this photo.
These fatal fires usually happen between 1 am and 5 am. In this case, Chris died around 1:30. 5640 2nd St, Rio Linda CA on Oct 23, 2003. I lost a friend.
In the case of steel roofing, they are noted restraining fire and smoke. Ironically, it is a sales point. However, a fireman must use a carbon steel saw to cut through the metal roofing. That is the beginning of his problem. Now, he must put out the fire in the wood roofing trapped under the steel roofing. That is why you see the roofing peeled back in this photo.
These fatal fires usually happen between 1 am and 5 am. In this case, Chris died around 1:30. 5640 2nd St, Rio Linda CA on Oct 23, 2003. I lost a friend.
Cement tile roofing is very heavy. It is generally three times as heavy as wood shake. In this view, you can see how the upstairs fire destroyed the decking, and allowed the heavy cement tiles to fall into the upstairs bedroom. Thankfully, no one was home. This fire happened in the night on New Year's Eve.
If the fire doesn't kill you, then hundreds of pounds of cement being dropped from ten feet or so down to your bedroom could do some serious damage. Would you rather have a wood shake or a cement tile hit you on the head from ten feet?
This type of roofing is particularly dangerous for firefighters. It is very hard to tell where the fire will drop the roof. Any added weight to this already heavy roof could cause the firefighter to drop through the deck into the inferno.
If the fire doesn't kill you, then hundreds of pounds of cement being dropped from ten feet or so down to your bedroom could do some serious damage. Would you rather have a wood shake or a cement tile hit you on the head from ten feet?
This type of roofing is particularly dangerous for firefighters. It is very hard to tell where the fire will drop the roof. Any added weight to this already heavy roof could cause the firefighter to drop through the deck into the inferno.
Children died in this fire. Notice the black material in the center of the top of the roof. This is the plastic covering the hole on the back side of the roof where the firemen cut a ventilation hole.
Notice the memorial for the children at the fence on the right.
Notice the memorial for the children at the fence on the right.
Next, we can see that flame retardants can stop homes from burning from a fire located either within or on top of the roof when properly treated. Imagine the number of lives that could be saved. Unfortunately, the video is old and deteriorated, but you can get the message. Watch until the end, you'll be shocked.