How homes survived the LA Fires
Posted by kkinnison@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 33 comments
Good article to explain preventative measures to reduce the risk of your home catching fire, in a fire prone area
- Clearing vegetation that connects to the home, creating a defensible area
- space between buildings. Over 10 feet
- Flame resistant materials. Stucco, Metal roofs and gutters, double tempered glass, vent mesh
Kurtotall@reddit
Both California and Florida should require houses to be built disaster proof. These upfront costs should be offset by low insurance.
StephLynn3724@reddit
any new rules would only apply to new construction right? Most people that I know where I live buy houses and live in them, or rent houses that already exists, they’re don’t buy land and build new ones. Not being snarky, obviously there will be a lot of new construction now, just pointing out what’s true where I live. Also along those lines, some trees are protected here (and we do need trees) and houses are built on top of each other with tight parking. I think there is more people can do, but there is a big picture issue with housing density as well.
mercedes_lakitu@reddit
Not only those two states; but yes, in general, there should be stricter building codes and zoning enforcement.
Fly4Vino@reddit
California enacted an Auxiliary Dwelling Unit ordinance which erased building separation rules and put more cars on narrow streets in fire prone areas as garages were converted to dwelling units. The separation rules were a key part of the strategy resisting the spread of fire from building to building. It overrode any local zoning or building ordinances.
Astroloan@reddit
That seems like a reasonable idea- I hope there isn't some sort of culture war going on that would make it politically impossible.
September 25, 2024
Opening remarks, as prepared, of Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA)
...As it stands, I worry that federal overreach regarding building codes is imposing unnecessary burdens on businesses and property owners.
...I have not seen sufficient data to convince me that requiring the adoption of the latest editions of building codes saves taxpayer dollars. Are the changes between editions significant enough to significantly lower disaster costs and protect life and property?
...Additionally, FEMA is expending taxpayer dollars and human resources on promoting building codes and standards, at the expense of other mitigation measures.
Popular_Try_5075@reddit
The home insurance market is collapsing due to climate change anyway, but in general, yes we should find ways to compensate people for disaster proofing their shit.
drmike0099@reddit
If anything good comes out of this disaster I hope it includes some financial enticement to upgrade houses. Right now, insurance companies just penalize you if you do bad things, but there's no corresponding benefit if you spend the $$$ to do good things. It will cost me at least $70k for metal roofing and siding, and although that will last 50+ years, it's still cheaper to get vinyl siding and asphalt shingles.
Myspys_35@reddit
Its terrifying that people continue to build fire and storm hazardous homes - I get that some things are more expensive such as windows and metal roofs but once you take into account extend lifetime and less issues its a wash in terms of cost and its so much safer. The other stuff like for gods sake dont have vegetation around the house, always have vent meshes, clean your gutters, etc. is just people being lazy or stupid
Im not in a fire prone area and most of our housing has wood panels, but even then we arent allowed to construct buildings to close together simply due to fire hazard. There were a few bad fires in the 1700 and 1800 hundreds and shocker - people learnt that you needed distance or adequate fire proofing
People literally put wood chip mulch around the house to decorate and then are suprised its a firehazard
kkinnison@reddit (OP)
The problem is building codes. construction companies are fighting against insurance companies and leaving legislators in the middle who dont offer subsidies to homeowners to offset the costs of more resilient buildings
Recently a new development in my area was started that is 10 feet above the water level of the mississippi. Even if you can afford the flood plain insurance when you home gets wiped out, you are only compensated 50% the cost of your home, and you have to raise the foundation above the flood levels to get that $
instead, those homes should have been build originally with raised foundations. But that never happened cause the developer didn't need to.
Backsight-Foreskin@reddit
I've read an important measure is using Fire resistant vents to prevent embers from getting sucked up into the roof.
https://firesafemarin.org/harden-your-home/fire-resistant-vents/
Myspys_35@reddit
This style of vent is not typical? My 1940s house has them over every single vent and of course they are metal - its such an obvious thing to have
Aggravating-Bit9325@reddit
If you had a pool,pump and generator would putting sprinklers at the corners of your house work?
OdesDominator800@reddit
If you have a pool, they come with a pump. I've taken my mom's pool and removed the directional valve attachment you use for vacuuming the walls and bottom and plugged the hole. If you have a pool, you know what I mean. This seals the pipe to suck water from the bottom only. I've then drained her pool in order to acid bath the stuck algae. This beats sticking the pump with the long pipe into the pool and having to move it every time the water gets below the pipe. Having to prime this was a pain in the rear. Both Northern Tool and Harbor Freight have gas pumps and 3 inch suction hoses. I have a Honda unit that I've used to drain a pond in order to fix its dam and needed extra hoses.
TeddyBongwater@reddit
I know people that saved their house with a pool pump, generator, and fire house
Unlucky-External5648@reddit
Yes. Rooftop watering systems can help. Especially with airborn embers.
Opcn@reddit
All of the pacific palisades was like 16' apart, but they had trees in between all the homes and combustible siding. Looking around on google streetview and zillow the overwhelming majority of homes protected their roof rafters with nothing more than a coat of white paint.
Just using fiber cement siding and aluminum or steel windows over vinyl and screening under the eaves of the house can do so much to prevent the loss. stucco can be a great material, or a terrible material, turns out there are formulations made of foam and plastic. and formulations made of steel and cement and the latter are a much better choice for fire risk mitigation.
kkinnison@reddit (OP)
making a cheap home, then planting trees for privacy and shade, and wondering why it burned down and you couldn't get insurance.
The-Real-Mario@reddit
Fucking concrete houses people! The corner store down my street is made of concrete , why not make fence Hollywood houses from masonry too???
Opcn@reddit
Special consideration has to be made for masonry structures in earthquake zones. But most of these houses are single story and building in an earthquake zone is gonna be like 10% more than building on the east coast.
_IT_Department@reddit
Hur dur dur, paint your roof blue so the lasers don't target you.
/s
QwertyHolocaust@reddit
dittybopper_05H@reddit
Be attractive.
Don't be unattractive.
JustADutchRudder@reddit
No! Fire is loves hot people, the secret to fire is it refuses to deal with ugly people.
Onlyroad4adrifter@reddit
I'm starting to think there's quite a bit of benefits to being ugly. Yesterday people were going on about getting 1000 bucks for being ugly.
Unfair-Suggestion-37@reddit
Make your own luck
JamieJeanJ@reddit
RE-Build LA with COB!!
https://youtu.be/qNSCMwUE8A0?si=0gebh9ImC6s4Gcrf
thatfirefighterguy@reddit
Wide driveway to allow easy turning around spot for fire trucks, pond or pool on the property, cut grass short, large clear area, well marked civic address, fenced but no gate or gate left open.
Yisevery1nuts@reddit
They interviewed an architect whose house survived. They had a grass roof, concrete structure, and a sprinkler system that sprayed fire retardant. ($$$$)
Glittering-Pie6039@reddit
Make it out of highly flammable materials
mdjmd73@reddit
Wide perimeter, stucco, hardie, metal roof, no gutters
Rat_Fink_Forever@reddit
Paint them blue....
barascr@reddit
Point 1, a whole lot of luck, 2, the materials you use for the exterior helps/prevents against fires.
My parents house exterior is pretty much fire proof. Not including the front porch and back steps. The whole house doesn't have any exposed wood, the house exterior is cement board materials, siding, soffits, window trims, fascia, the foundations and piers/footings are concrete and the skirting it's metal, metal doors and the house sits in the middle of the lot which has very few trees.
That would help a lot.
dittybopper_05H@reddit
You can get any kind of a home you want. You can even get stucco. Oh, how you can get stucco.