Preventing Fires in Homes

This article takes a look at fire-resistant home building in the wake of recent fires and a newly established standard in home building in a certain region of Australia. Some standards and suggestions that have been set in place include built-in fire retardants, guttering, maintenance and the materials used in wall, roof and overall home design.

Article Source (Complete Home): In view of the devastation of the Black Saturday bushfires, the Building Commission has suggested ways Victorians can better protect their homes from fires

Bushfires will always pose a risk for those who live in rural areas and on the metropolitan fringes. Homeowners can reduce the danger of bushfires by implementing as many fire-protecting measures as possible.

A new building standard

The Victorian Government has recently implemented a new residential building standard based on the “bushfire attack level” of an area. In it’s Guide to building in Victoria after the bushfires, the Building Commission outlines the new Australian Standard (AS 3959) and how it affects Victorians building in bushfire-prone areas. Specific construction materials and features are now required for the 20 per cent of Victorian homes that fall into bushfire attack levels higher than the standard “low” level. (more…)