Retrofitting for fire protection: dollars and cents

Thanks to reader Jeannie for sending a link to this online booklet: Is Your Home Protected From Wildfire Disaster? A Homeowner's Guide to Wildfire Retrofit. It was produced by the Institute for Business & Home Safety, with input from government and insurance agencies.

Of interest to me is an estimate of how much fire-protection retrofits cost. Of course, costs depend on how big your house is, where it is located and who does the work. But here are some approximates:

Under $300

• Creating a survivable space
• Maintaining your survivable space
• Installing fire-resistant signs and address numbers (to help the fire department find you)
• Modifying your attic, sub-floor and basement vents
• Installing a spark arrestor on your chimney

$300 to $1,000

• Boxing in overhangs and modifying other attachments
• Boxing in your eaves, fascias, and soffits

More than $1,000

• Re-covering your exterior walls with a more fire-resistant material
• Replacing single-pane glass windows, doors or skylights with dual-pane and tempered glass
• Modifying your driveway, bridges and gates to accommodate fire trucks
• Re-roofing your home with a Class A roof covering

See the whole booklet

Photo by Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Brent Berkompas]

The most vulnerable construction feature on your home during a wildfire is its vents. They act like open windows into the structure and allow it to ignite from the inside out. I am a firefighter in southern California and have been a responder to the 2003 & 2007 wildfires. I have developed a simple and inexpensive way to safeguard your homes vents during a wildfire. For more info check out www.brandguardvents.com