How 'Firewise' Is Your Home?

Being 'Firewise'

With the ongoing and devastating fires in the Myrtle Beach (Horry County) area of South Carolina, we are reminded of the need to be extra careful with any outside burning! This is expecially true in wooded areas. McCormick County is made up of primarily woodlands with much of our county acreage designated as Sumter National Forest, South Carolina Wildlife Management areas, and South Carolina State Parks. The woodlands are part of the charm of our area and provide wonderful resources. However for the sake of fire safety, Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick County has been designated as a 'Firewise' Community since 2006. 

Being 'Firewise' in Savannah Lakes means not only understanding the potential of wildfire in our area but taking steps to limit the risk. Although we have had quite a lot of rain this month, our region's prolonged drought and extremely dry conditions continue to increase the threat of wild fires here and across the southeast. Any brush fire could easily escalate into a full-blown wild fire capable of destroying homes. 

In the Architectural Expectations for new construction in Savannah Lakes Village, guidelines are given for ‘Firewise’ construction. They are as follows: 

SUGGESTED FIREWISE CONSTRUCTION CHECKLIST 

When constructing, renovating, or adding to a 'firewise' home, consider the following:   Choose a 'firewise' location for construction; design and build a 'firewise' structure; and employ 'firewise' landscaping and maintenance. 

To select a 'firewise' location, observe the following:

• Slope of terrain; be sure to build on the most level portion of the land, since fire spreads more rapidly on even minor slopes. 
• Set your single-story structure at least 30 feet back from any ridge or cliff; increase distance if your home will be higher than one story. 
• In designing and building your firewise structure, remember that the primary goals are fuel and exposure reduction. 

To this end, utilize 'firewise' construction guidelines: 

• Use construction materials that are fire-resistant or non-combustible whenever possible. 
• For roof construction, consider using materials such as Class-A asphalt shingles, slate or clay tile, metal, cement and concrete products, or terra-cotta tiles. Constructing a fire-resistant sub-roof can add protection as well. 
• On exterior wall facing, fire resistive materials such as stucco or masonry are much better choices than vinyl which can soften and melt. 
• Window materials and size are important. Smaller panes hold up better in their frames than larger ones. Double pane glass and tempered glass are more reliable and effective heat barriers than single pane glass. 
• Plastic skylights can melt. 
• Install non-flammable shutters on windows and skylights. 
• To prevent sparks from entering your home through vents, cover exterior attic and under floor vents with wire screening no larger than 1/8 of an inch mesh. 
• Make sure undereave and soffit vents are as close as possible to the roof line. 
• Box in eaves, but be sure to provide adequate ventilation to prevent condensation. 
• Include a driveway that is wide enough to provide easy access for fire engines (12 feet wide with a vertical clearance of 15 feet and a slope that is less than 5 percent). 

General yard and driveway guidelines: 

• The driveway and access roads should be well-maintained, clearly marked, and include ample turnaround space near the house. 
• Provide easy access to fire service water supplies, whenever possible. 
• Provide at least two ground level doors for easy and safe exit and at least two means of escape (i.e., doors or windows) in each room so that everyone has a way out. 
• Keep gutters, eaves, and roofs clear of leaves and other debris. 
• Make periodic inspections of your home, looking for deterioration such as breaks and spaces between roof tiles, warping wood, or cracks and crevices in the structure. 
• Periodically inspect your property, clearing dead wood and dense vegetation at distance of at least 30 feet from your house. 
• Move firewood away from the house or attachments like fences or decks. Any structures attached to the house, such as decks, porches, fences, and outbuildings should be considered part of the house. These structures can act as fuel bridges, particularly if constructed from flammable materials. 

Also consider the following: 

• If you wish to attach an all-wood fence to your house, use masonry or metal as protective barriers between the fence and house. 
• Use metal when constructing a trellis and cover it with high-moisture, low flammability vegetation. 
• Prevent combustible materials and debris from accumulating beneath patio decks or elevated porches. 
• Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire screen no larger than 1/8 inch mesh. 
• Make sure an elevated wooden deck is not located at the top of a hill where it will be in direct line of a fire moving up slope. Consider a terrace instead. 

The 'Firewise' Communities/USA Social Network is a network of fire professionals, government agencies and concerned homeowners throughout the United States.  Savannah Lakes Village is one of four 'firewise' communities in South Carolina. 

Tomorrow I will provide information on 'Firewise' Landscaping.

Bruce and Mary are South Carolina REALTORS® specializing in Savannah Lakes Village, a planned retirement and second home golf and lake front community in McCormick County, South Carolina.

®Bruce & Mary Smith  - "Being 'Firewise' in Savannah Lakes"