Wooden roofing materials are beautiful and natural materials to give your home a stunning look. While they help to add some interest to your home, they can be highly susceptible to fire damage. Wood burns easily, so it is important to keep up with regular roof maintenance to protect you from a house fire. Taking preventative measures will give homeowners better protection and peace of mind in their homes.
Inspect The Roof Regularly
Having proper and regular roof inspections will help you determine when your roof has experienced damage and repair it quickly. Roof inspections check for cracks, leaks, deterioration, splintering wood, broken shingles, misaligned gutters, and more. Having an inspection done by a professional roofer will help you gain knowledge of how to better take care of your roof.
Determining signs of wear and tear will also help you remove reoccurring causes of roof damage. Removing tree branches, leaves, or dirt will also prevent fire damage on your roof.
Frequently Clean Out The Chimney
Chimneys often have a massive amount of build-up from soot, ash, dust, and more. All of these substances are flammable and when fire from your fireplace can not escape through your chimney, it can cause the fire to spread down and around your home. Cleaning out your chimney will help prevent flames from filling your entire chimney and reaching the wood roof.
Chimneys should be inspected and cleaned annually and a chimney cap should be installed to prevent sparks from escaping.
Use Cedar Or Redwood
If you are installing a wood roof and want to prevent fire damage right off the bat, choose cedar or redwood. These woods are naturally resistant to fires which can give you more peace of mind about the state of your roof. Previously installed wood roofs can be safe from fire damage if a fire-resistant coating is applied to the material. A coating may not make your wood roof 100% fire-resistant but will help limit the potential for fire damage.
Ensure You Have Proper Roof Ventilation
Proper roofs will help keep moisture and extreme weather conditions out of your home, but roofs also need to be ventilated and have air circulation. The warm air that accumulates on your ceiling or roof deck will cause it to overheat. There is only so much heat these areas can take and when too much heat is applied, the wood can ignite and spread quickly.
Add A Roof Underlayment
Many fire ratings and building codes require the application of an underlayment. The membrane can help prevent fires, protect the roof deck, and add a water barrier if a shingle falls off or another material is damaged and adds more weather protection. Underlayment can be UV resistant, which can limit the risk of fire damage.
Proper underlayments can also help regulate the temperature in your home. When heating and cooling are regulated, your roof deck and roof will not get overheated and ignite. Fiberglass or asphalt felt are some of the best fire-resistant underlayments for preventing fire damage.
Fire Resistant Paint
Coating your wood with fire-resistant paint can help slow the spread of a house fire. This coating will not stop a fire completely but can help slow the flames from spreading quickly. This will give you time to safely evacuate your home and give the fire department more time to arrive at your residence.
Make sure to only choose coatings and paints that are made specifically for roofs and specifically state they are fire resistant. Apply them thoroughly and properly in order to lower the risk of fire damage.
Trust Our Roofing Experts
Lifetime Roofing works hard to improve the safety and functionality of roofs. Wooden roofs, asphalt roofs, and metal roofs all need proper cleaning and maintenance. Our team at Lifetime Roofing can help protect your family with safe materials and quality installation. When our roofers come to your home, we take every safety precaution, making sure your roof is up to code and will last for its full lifespan.
Our roofing company serves many cities along the Wasatch Front including Salt Lake City, Provo, North Ogden, Layton, and more. We have been serving homeowners for over a decade and have had many satisfied customers to date. Working with our team gives you peace of mind. Schedule your appointment today!
