It is good to know whether your siding material is likely to resist fire.
And, when you’re choosing a new siding material, ask for more than just good looks. There are many well-designed siding products made from great materials that achieve excellent fire resistance. You don’t have to sacrifice good looks in order to give your home a little bit of protection in case there is a fire in your neighborhood.
In today’s blog post, we walk you through your options for fire-resistant siding.
Vinyl Siding: Low Resistance
No, vinyl is unlikely to fuel a fire if one breaks out in your neighbor’s home.
However, vinyl does not resist heat very well. That means that it melts quickly and then exposes the more combustible materials inside of your home to the flames. Your insulation and wood framing may quickly catch if you have vinyl siding. That’s why vinyl is a poor choice if you are concerned about the fire resistance of your new siding.
Those homeowners who already have vinyl siding should consider other ways of improving the fire resistance of their homes or replacing the siding.
Wood Siding: Low Resistance
Of course, wood siding does not offer as much fire resistance as other material options.
While thick wood siding can provide some resistance to heat, it is much more combustible than the plastic vinyl and the other materials on this list. Your wood siding is likely to catch fire when exposed to direct flame–which means that it is not ignition resistant.
There are treatments you can add to the siding in order to make it more resistant to fire, However, most wood siding products still can’t achieve high ratings for fire resistance.
If you have wood siding already, you’re likely pleased with the look of it. There are non-wood siding options you can get that mimic the look of wood but offer more ignition resistance.
Fiber Cement Siding: High Resistance
Fiber cement board is made of a mixture of materials, usually including cement, sand and wood fibers.
While the composition of individual products varies, these materials are much more fire-resistant than wood or vinyl. If you already have fiber cement siding, you can look up the product on your manufacturer’s website to determine the fire-resistance rating it has achieved.
If you’re in the market for new siding, you should be able to find many fiber cement siding products which have achieved a Class A fire-resistance rating. This is the best rating available, and it indicates that the product can withstand several hours of exposure to flame without melting or igniting.
Metal Siding: High Resistance
Metal siding can also offer a high level of resistance to fire.
Metal is non-combustible, so no metal siding material will ignite when exposed to the sparks or flames of a house fire. However, depending on the quality and thickness of the metal, your siding may melt. Most aluminum siding products are more likely to melt than most steel-based siding.
When it comes to siding, there are lots of options to consider and safety is paramount. As always it’s best to consult with a professional.
The Len Roofing & Remodeling Experience
When we say that we’re a top-quality home remodeling and roofing company that serves the North Shore and surrounding Chicagoland area, we back it up. We do more than simply cover the basics: we show up on time and nail it. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 847-768-6000 or visit our contact page.
