Note: This blog post features Logix ICF, the predecessor to Element ICF. For the most up-to-date benefits and insights, we encourage you to explore our latest Element ICF Blog Posts.
Fire is the greatest hazard of all, started both by man and nature. Flammables in the kitchen and garage can ignite and trigger whole house fires. Wildfires may scour entire neighborhoods. And other natural disasters like earthquakes and tornadoes may rupture gas lines that can burst into flames. Fire is a very real and ever-present danger.
Fortunately, fire-proof walls can be built as the first line of defense. Concrete LOGIX walls can provide an excellent firebreak to separate the garage from the house. Just remember to continue the concrete wall all the way up to the roofline so the fire can’t jump across in the attic. Logix ICF also helps contain Kitchen fires, as they can’t spread through the house walls.
If the house interior does catch fire, the biggest danger to firefighters is wall collapse. This happens because wood burns, and steel softens and bends. But LOGIX concrete walls don’t burn, bend, or melt.
Wildfires are a different beast. They are dangerous because they spread fast and burn hot. Logix ICF has been tested at temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 4 hours without breaking down. So the wildfire can flash through the neighborhood and leave the LOGIX house intact while wood frame houses are likely to ignite and keep burning.
For added insurance against wildfires, make sure to protect the roof. The best design is a simple gable or hipped roof that has no nooks to catch leaves and debris. Wrap the soffits to keep out the heat and protect vents with wire mesh. Hot embers from the fires are a danger to windows, and can shatter old single pane glass within minutes. Replacing the windows with dual pane tempered glass provide four times the protection, and good energy savings for all those days when there is no fire! And, if there is enough warning, covering the windows with plywood is even better.
Fires are unpredictable. Logix ICF performance in a fire is very reliable. Rest assured.
