Fire Resistance Ratings – Know The Fact

When it comes to your roof, fire safety is a must. In fact, the materials that you use for your roof must be fire resistant and have a rating to let you know how much safety and protection the roof will provide. Regardless of the type of roof you choose to have installed, it is important to understand fire resistance ratings and choose your roof according to the desired rating you prefer.

There are three fire resistance ratings -- Class A, Class B, and Class C. Class A offers the highest protection from fire while Class C offers the least amount of protection. It’s important to realize that with the fire resistance ratings, the materials are tested on the basis that they can withstand fire that comes from an outside origin. You should also realize that there are many outside sources that can pass your roof and possibly cause a fire if your roof is not protected. Because the potential for hazard is so great, there are many regulations placed upon these materials to ensure that they will withstand during a fire.

Materials that have earned a Class A fire resistance rating signifies that the roof will withstand serious exposure to fire without breaking, cracking, or warping. Class B materials are said to have a moderate ability to withstand exposure to fire while Class C materials have a light ability to withstand exposure to fire. It is important to choose your roofing materials according to the amount of fire resistance that you need. When considering installing a new roof, be sure to discuss this with an experienced roofing contractor.

In addition to fire resistance ratings, roofing materials also carry a wind resistance rating as well. To qualify for a wind resistant rating, the roofing materials must endure several tests and prove that they can withstand wind conditions for up to two hours without moving or responding to the wind.

About the Author: Source: Enter your local ZIP code to find the roofers nearest to you for all your roofing need.

More articles by elocalroofers1

Print Article | Download PDF | 12 views | Jun 25 2008

Digg del.icio.us Reddit furl