Why Newer Homes Burn Faster
3 home builders!
Take steps to protect your family from fires that spread more quickly than ever.
Today, contemporary homes are constructed using more synthetic materials than ever before — both in home construction and furniture. Indeed, the furniture in your home is often a major contributor to how quickly fire can spread.
Many modern products contain hydrocarbons, which are a solid form of gasoline. Not only do they ignite more swiftly, they release deadly gases like carbon monoxide and cyanide. All this adds up to a recipe for a lethal house fire.
Research shows how quickly new homes burn
Research by Underwriters Laboratories found that it took the average house about 17 minutes to burn 30 years ago. Today, the average home burns in just three or four minutes.
According to John Drengenberg, consumer safety director for Underwriters Laboratories, one major reason for the quicker burn is a lack of natural materials in newer homes. “Your home is furnished with many more synthetic materials than your grandmother had,” he says. “Decades ago, pillows were stuffed with down, and sofas were made from cotton. Those materials still burn, but synthetic materials like nylon and polyester will burn hotter and faster."
"It took the average house about 17 minutes to burn 30 years ago. Today, the average home burns in just three or four minutes."
Install a fire alarm system for early detection
This is why installing a quality fire alarm system is a must for any homeowner. A fire or smoke alarm system is a critical first line of defense because it gives your family time to escape a dangerous fire.
If you are the owner of a contemporary home, the alarm system is even more crucial due to the rapid burn rate. Fire alarm systems from professional security systems will detect smoke and other hazards early on, protect your family, ensure a quick response and integrate technology with burglary systems.
Synthetic materials burn hotter and faster
To show homeowners a tangible example of why contemporary homes burn faster, UL did a test for the Today show.
UL researchers constructed two rooms built side-by-side. One was a 1970s-themed room with real wood and many natural materials; the other was a modern room with a lot of synthetic fibers. With firefighters standing by and Drengenberg running the operation, Underwriters Laboratories began the test fires. To see the results, watch this video.
In less than three minutes, the contemporary room was completely engulfed in flames. “Synthetic materials like polyester burn faster," he says. "There's no getting away from them in the world today, not if you want to have some comfort in your home. But you need to know that 17 minutes to escape has gone down to 3 or 4 minutes."
Contrarily, the pillow in the 1970's room was barely burning two minutes after the flame was introduced. It took about five minutes for the pillow to catch on fire. After 10 minutes, only the corner of the couch was on fire. The room was still mainly intact after 15 minutes, and at the 26-minute mark, the couch was engulfed in flames.
After all was said and done, it took about 30 minutes for the 1970's room to burn completely — and only 2 minutes 49 seconds for the contemporary room to burn.
“When your smoke alarm goes off, you don’t have time to look around and get your wedding pictures,” Drengenberg says. “You get out as quickly as you can.”
Security specialist Dan Jensen examines a fire alarm monitoring center at Supreme Security Systems in Union, New Jersey, on May 24, 2016. (Photo by Chet Gordon)
Create a fire escape plan
To help families exit a burning home as quickly as they can, the American Red Cross offers a free Home Fire Escape Plan.
According to the Red Cross, everyone in the household should know two ways to escape from each room in the house. A family should also decide on a place to meet outside of the home after it's been evacuated.
After a family devises a plan, they should practice and time the drills and try to evacuate the home consistently in under two minutes. Smoke is dangerous, so practice low crawling.
Professional alarm systems monitor multiple dangers
It’s important to be informed about the dangers of a house fire and homeowners should use this information to properly protect their families. The fire alarm systems from most professional alarm installers are integrated with environmental monitoring systems to provide additional prevention and detection technology. Together, these systems provide increased protection from compounded threats such as heat, smoke and natural gas.
Typically, a security company will monitor your home from the center 24/7, and in the event that you don’t answer or acknowledge a fire, they will respond immediately by calling emergency responders.
Do you have a professional fire alarm system? Tell us about your family's fire escape plan in the comments section below.
As of July 1, 2016, this service provider was highly rated on Angie's List. Ratings are subject to change based on consumer feedback, so check Angie's List for the most up-to-date reviews. The views expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect those of Angie's List.
