0
Your Cart
No items found.
Product is not available in this quantity.
In an era of climate change, rising temperatures, drier summers, and longer episodes of drought have resulted in millions of acres of scorched earth, leaving entire communities to face devastating consequences. General contractors are often called to the rescue, working with affected communities to rebuild following a disaster.
Americans are living in a new normal, and it’s not just a problem limited to the West; the U.S. Fire Administration estimates that some 45 million homes exist in wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones, where housing developments edge up against wildlands, and potential ignition puts even more homes and lives at risk.
With the looming threat of wildfires becoming more real, savvy homeowners are evaluating where they choose to live by assessing homes’ proximity to WUI zones. Real estate marketplaces, such as Realtor.com, now publish a home’s wildfire risk as a factor for purchase consideration.
With more Americans witnessing wildfire destruction on their television screens, communities are calling for greater protections. In California, for example, where nearly one-third of homes are in WUI zones, the state has updated its Wildfire Building Codes and Regulations to prevent homes from fire ignition. Not to mention some insurance companies in California now require policy holders to receive a Wildfire Prepared Home base designation.
Numerous other cities and states, including Oregon, Colorado, and Austin have followed suit, establishing regulations and voluntary standards for the location, design, and construction of new builds and retrofitting in fire-hazard areas.
The shift in building standards has provided general contractors with a critical business opportunity. In addition to adopting fire suppression methods on work sites, general contractors are building out their service offerings by including structural hardening in their construction plans.
Home hardening strategies can include building structures with wildfire-resistant materials, establishing a 0-5 noncombustible zone around a home free of debris, and installing performance mesh to prevent embers as a result of wind, heat, and dry brush from sparking into flames.
For an industry responsible for building communities, general contractors are poised to play a pivotal role in defending homes against wildfires. Home hardening services not only reassure homeowners looking to shield their biggest financial investment, but they also protect everything else that makes a house a home.
Building wildfire-resistant homes is no longer viewed as a nice-to-have value-added service: it can mean the difference between homeowners experiencing minor damage or utter destruction.
Adding to the loss risks, many insurers don’t offer homeowners insurance in fire-prone areas or require strict wildfire mitigation measures to obtain coverage.
A single weather event or human error can cause a wildfire, but homes aren’t always at risk from lapping flames. Roughly nine out of 10 homes and buildings ignite from floating embers. These smoldering firebrands lurch onto gutters, attic and roof vents, decks and skirting, windows or doors, and feed on combustible fuel, starting a fire that can rapidly spread next door.
Yet, many people remain unaware of the extent of wildfire risks or how their homes may be contributing to fire susceptibilities. Firewise communities are increasingly relying on proactive neighbors and partners like general contractors to start the conversation and incorporate home hardening strategies into construction.
One of the best ways general contractors can fortify defenses around a home is through vent screening. This process involves installing high-performance wildfire mesh at key ember entry points — retrofitting vents, enclosing decks, or framing windows and doors — to prevent ember storms from turning into flames.
High-performance wildfire mesh protects a home in three ways: by enforcing a shield around to block embers, by reducing radiant heat, and by diffusing direct flames.
With more homeowners becoming informed and engaged in wildfire mitigation, and looking to lower their risk scores, general contractors can market mesh installation services to meet their fire-proofing needs.
General contracting companies across the U.S. are adding home hardening services to their construction plans and joining homeowners in the fight against wildfires.
To maintain the effectiveness of vent screening installations, general contractors are choosing to complete projects with high-performance mesh. But not all mesh is created equal. There’s only one tested and proven brand that outperforms them all: Wildfire Defense Mesh™.
Born out of combating bushfires in Australia, Wildfire Defense Mesh is forged with stainless steel and has a U.S. patent pending. Research and testing have shown that Wildfire Defense Mesh™ is a rust-resistant solution that is minimum 98% effective at stopping dangerous embers and reducing radiant heat by up to 38% with no significant reduction in airflow when compared to other mesh products.
Whether general contractors are completing retrofitting projects or embarking on new construction, Wildfire Defense Mesh should be part of the plan. We’ve created an installation guide, and tutorials on YouTube to demonstrate how easily performance mesh can be used to defend homes from wildfires and grow your business.
As wildfires encroach on American’s everyday lives, general contractors can play a pivotal role in building fire resilience in WUI communities and beyond. Wildfire Defense Mesh™ will be there to offer them a shield.
