New Construction Burns Faster than Older Homes
The frequency of house fires in the United States has constantly declined over the years. However, the danger from these fires is more serious than ever. Many homeowners would be surprised to learn the increased danger is due to the design, construction, and furnishings of modern-day homes.
Contemporary homes are constructed in line with current fire codes and possess a number of fire safety features. However, they burn a lot faster than older homes. The violence of today’s house fires can be blamed on modern construction materials, furnishings in the home, and home layouts.
Construction Materials
The days of traditional wood and brick construction are long gone. Homes today are built using engineered materials that offer significant advantages over the building materials of yesterday. They are lightweight, durable, eco-friendly, cheaper, and convenient. However, the composition of these materials and their response to heat presents a number of challenges regarding fire safety.
Plywood, strand board, and lumber that is engineered is made from sawdust and wood chips. A compression process that involves wax and formaldehyde-based resins are used on the wooden strands to manufacture the building materials.
