Protecting your roofing in Austin from natural disasters is something that most Texas homeowners should be thinking about. One important factor that you should know and consider if you’re building a new roof or replacing an existing roof is how to interpret fire ratings for your roofing materials. Here is a quick guide to help you understanding what the fire rating system means so you can be sure your roof meets code and insurance regulations and provides the right level of protection.
Classifying Roofing Systems
Roofing for your Austin home is classified as either A, B, or C. These classifications are determined by tests that examine how quickly flame will spread across the top of the roof system in a given period of time. In order to be the highest class, Class A, the fire must not spread more than 6 feet during the test period. Class B can spread up to 8 feet, and Class C up to 13 feet. The tests also take into consideration the slope of a roof, since steeper slopes have more risk of melting materials feeding the fire.
Understanding the Meaning of Classifications
While fire rating systems are a good way to compare one roofing material to another, they are not foolproof. There are several other factors that come into play, even if your Austin roofing material is rated as a Class A. For example, thinner roof systems that provide less fuel to burn in a fire will perform better than thicker systems, but the same system may be less desirable overall because a thinner roof will be less durable and may not withstand other elements, such as rain, high wind, or hail, as well as a thicker membrane would be able to withstand these things.
Knowing the basics of the fire ratings classification system can help you be a more informed consumer. While fire ratings are not the sole decision factor in picking roofing in Austin, you can use them as one comparison criteria to find the best roof for your home.
