Tag: fire

Fire Resistant Metal Roofs

Are Metal Roofs Fire Resistant?

Posted on by

Your home is one of your most important assets. Not only does it house valuable items, but precious memories. As such, you will want to do everything to ensure your home is well protected against expected, and unexpected, threats like fire. While a metal roof is by no means fireproof, it can absolutely boast the title fire resistant. Here’s why!

Fire Resistance Ratings

When it comes to the varying roofing materials, there are Class Systems in place that rate how fire-resistant they are. The material is tested with either the ASTM E108 or the UL 790 Fire Tests of Roof Coverings., which rate three fire-related qualities of a roofing material:

  • Ability to resist the spread of fire into the attic (or cathedral ceiling) area
  • Ability to resist flame spreading on the roof covering
  • Ability to resist generating burning embers.

Once evaluated, the roof covering is given a rating: Class A, Class B, and Class C, with Class A being the most fire-resistant. Since metal roofing is designated with a Class A fire rating, it is one of the most non-combustible roofing materials, with the greatest strength to stand up to fires. While fire resistance should not be the only determining factor for getting a metal roof, it is an important consideration. This is especially true for homes in areas with a higher risk of wildfires.

Additional Benefits of Metal Roofs

Metal roofs come with a plethora of additional benefits! Including

  • A Long Life Expectancy. Metal roofs can last anywhere from 40 to 70 years. Compare that to the traditional 10 to 20 years of asphalt shingles. An extra advantage to metal is that unlike some roofing materials, age does not reduce its fire resistance. 
  • Metal roofs are both energy efficient and sustainable. A metal roof can help homeowner’s save between 10 and 25% on their heating and cooling bills. On top of being 100% recyclable, they can also easily support the weight of solar panels and are perfect for creating systems to collect rainwater.
  • Coming in a variety of colors and styles, the wide range of aesthetic options means there’s a metal roof to suit anyone’s personal taste.

Metal roofs offer superior fire resistance. Protecting a structure’s assets and keeping people safe. Are you considering retrofitting your building with metal panels? Contact our qualified team of professionals at 519-451-7663 or info@ecoinsulatedpanels.com.

Metal Panels and Fire

Fire and Insulated Metal Panels

Posted on by

Eco-friendly, lightweight, durable, and fire-resistant. Metal panels come with a multitude of benefits. However, one of these benefits is oftentimes misunderstood: a metal panels ability t to resist heat and flames. In order to fully grasp how metal panels can be a superior choice in terms of safety, one must first understand the different fire resistance ratings and capabilities of metal panels themselves.

Building Code Requirements

Safety is number one, which is why building and fire codes have been developed that determine which degree of fire resistance is required based on the situation, building type, and conditions. In the end, every wall within a structure should provide some degree of fire resistance. This gives people enough time to safely evacuate in the event of a fire. An added precaution would be choosing a material which can also help contain the fire. Preventing the spread throughout the building or neighboring structures. When planning for your structure, be sure to identify what the minimum fire resistance requirement is for your exterior and interior walls to be sure you are complying with all legal codes.

Ratings Are Based on Testing

To establish whether or not a wall meets a particular fire resistance rating, a fire test must be conducted in an independent laboratory. For IMPs, that means a manufacturer needs to submit full-size product samples to a lab, which will then carry out a standard test. The procedures and standards are intended to be the same for all similar materials to ensure an accurate fire resistance rating for each. When the products undergo the designated heat and flame under uniform laboratory conditions, then they can be classified based on how well they performed. Some products, for example, may survive the test long enough to qualify for a 1- or 2-hour rating. Others may only qualify for a 30-minute rating before succumbing to the fire.

Selecting A Fire Resistant Metal Panel

Insulated metal panels use thermoset foam cores. These cores don’t melt and have a high degree of fire resistance. With increasing demands for structures that combine contemporary aesthetics, energy efficiency, and safety, insulated metal panels are an effective choice.

Insulated metal panels offer superior fire resistance, protecting a structure’s assets and keeping people safe. Are you considering retrofitting your building with metal panels? Contact our qualified team of professionals at 519-451-7663 or info@ecoinsulatedpanels.com.