Fire Resistive Construction Trends
Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. Strategic Design for Fire Resistive Construction Years of drought in California brought the nation’s attention to the threat posed by wildfires. Of course, wildfires are not the only fire threat. Fires can originate inside structures as well. Certain design principles and fire resistive construction methods are employed today to keep the fire from gaining entry to a building and slow or halt its spread. In fire-prone areas, local building codes often mandate Type III-A protected combustible construction or better for new construction. Type III-A, according to the International Building Code, provides 2-hour fire resistance for exterior walls and 1-hour protection for the structural frame, floors, and ceilings. Keeping Fire Out The primary strategy for keeping fire out of a building is to deny it the fuel it feeds on. That requires the use of non-combustible materials on a building’s exterior. These include cement, steel, and masonry, among others. Windows and Skylights Fire-resistant construction requires heavy-duty glazing, which resists fire...
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