What Are Current Rebuilding Requirements in California?

Defensible Space Around Property

If you sell your California residential property or buy a new one, the seller and buyer will be responsible for disclosing and reviewing the current information about fire zones and the proximity of that property to fire zones per State Fire Marshal mapping. In Los Angeles County, Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHSFZ)requires fireproofing based on current standards for rebuilds. Actually, every homeowner no matter their location, should review these standards for home protection:

• Class A Roofing - Includes clay tile, asphalt shingle, concrete tile,  steel, slate tile. No wood shake.  Use concrete stop in clay tiles to prevent intruding embers.
• Use roof and ridge vents. Any vents should have screens (1/8") to prevent ember intrusion. 
• Roof gutters must have screens, spark arrestors in chimneys when burning solid fuel.
• Exterior walls: 1-hour rated made of stucco, brick, fiber cement siding--wood siding doesn't comply.
• Doors: Fire retardant wood or non-combustible for garage doors; other exterior doors to have 20-minute rating-metal, glass and solid hardwood, layer of tempered glass over glazing.
• Windows: One pane of double paned windows to be tempered.
• Decks, stairs, risers to be non-combustible materials, fiber cement, concrete/stone patio walkways.
• Defensible space: No vines or climbing plants, leave a clear 5 feet perimeter around house, remove dead vegetation 100 feet from structure, hedges no higher than 8 feet. Plant removal:  no Juniper, Italian Cypress, Bougainvillea, Wisteria, Eucalyptus, Pampas grass, and others. Remove fuel ladders by separate higher and lower plantings with at least a 2 foot space.
•  
• A final word on Smoke Cleanup: 
• Replace air filters, get ducts cleaned, and check for any exterior equipment damage.
• Use portable air cleaner with HEPA filter for as long as possible.
• Replace insulation in vented spaces. Smokey smell will return in hot months.
• Debris cleanup: use water, not a blower. Review local agency restrictions.
• Water:  remove all filters and clean/check all equipment.
• Under sink systems:  Drain multiple times, change filter.
• Whole house systems should be checked by a maintenance company.
  

See prior post.

This list is not all-inclusive of all activities a homeowner may have to take, please consult your local area County or City requirements.

*Information and illustration from Joseph Spierer Architects.

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996

How to Fire Harden Your Home, No Matter Where You Live

Damage to house in Altadena

The most recent fires have once again brought up the issue of the vulnerability to fires. Although living near hills, mountains, areas with high vegetation are very often in the high risk fire zones, an event like this could happen in the city as well. The high winds fire events (winds of 80-90 mph in Altadena) in early January quickly consumed neighborhoods and business districts--property owners should  think about the three ignition sources which are embers (airborne wood carried by wind), surface fires (ground debris, shrubs), and crown fires (spread in the tops of trees). According to www.firewise.org, studies have shown that homes ignite due to the condition of the home and everything around it, up to 200 feet from the foundation.

That means when it comes to fire safety, you have to consider every inch of your house as a potential
vulnerability. But there are steps you can take today to protect your home and your family to make sure
each and every part of your home is “hardened” in preparation.

FIRST, ADDRESS THESE VULNERABILITIES:
• Consider re-roofing a roof built with shingles or wood. Use materials with a Class A fire rating,
such as composition shingles, tile or steel.
• Inspect for and cover up any gaps in the roof to prevent falling embers from entering the house.
• Cover up any open vents, including chimneys, with 1/8” mesh to keep out falling embers. Move
any combustible items away from the vents, both inside and outside.
• Consider remodeling wooden walls with ignition resistant materials such as stucco, fiber cement or fire-retardant-treated wood.
• Cover up rain gutters with screens to prevent leaves from accumulating.
• Ensure that the only plants within 20 feet of the house are small, well-pruned plants with high moisture content. Ideally, there should be no vegetation within five feet of the property.
• Install multi-paned, tempered glass to reduce the chance of windows breaking due to the heat of a fire, which then creates opportunities for embers to enter the house.
• Make sure the home’s address is clearly visible from the street, which will make it easier for emergency vehicles to find the house.
• Purchase at least one fire extinguisher for the house — two if there is a detached garage.

STAY ON TOP OF ONGOING MAINTENANCE:
• Regularly clean out rain gutters.
• Remove dead plants or dry leaves from the property and regularly trim trees that come close to the house.
• Clean outdoor decks to remove leaves that get trapped between deck boards.
• Check fire extinguishers annually to be sure they have not expired.
• Ensure the driveway and local access roads are in good condition.

PHOTO:  This house, for unknown reasons, was the only one on the street to burn, but note that many other homes nearby on adjacent streets were lost, including a school. The neighborhood was a stone's throw from Eaton Canyon.  It was next to the house I grew up in years ago, which did not burn. As you can see, the area has a great deal of vegetation including pine trees and deodar trees. Per the LA County survey photo of my former home, there was no apparent fire damage and was catalogued as "no damage". Photo courtesy of Pasadena News photographer who took photos of other burning structures the next morning after it started and who sent it to me.

Sources: University of California Cooperative Education, Wildfire Preparation & Recovery; CAL Fire, Hardening Your Home. California Association of Realtors.

 

Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | http://www.abodes.realestate | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996