Building A Fire Resistant Home In California
Every year, California homeowners face the devastating threat of wildfires. Your family’s safety and your biggest investment shouldn’t have to live under constant worry. At DNM Architecture, we’ve spent 20 years designing beautiful, fire-resistant homes that give California families peace of mind. Our innovative approach combines cutting-edge fire-resistant materials with stunning architectural design.
FROM THE GROUND UP
6 Ways To Harden a Home Against Fire
While no home can be entirely fireproof, the risk of fire can be significantly reduced through strategic design and material choices. The strategies used to “harden” a home against fire include innovative framing, advanced fire suppression, building materials, and thoughtful landscaping, all of which collectively enhance the overall safety and resilience of the structure.
Here’s how we do it.
Steel Framing
Unlike traditional wood framing, steel provides a structural integrity that can withstand fire exposure for longer durations, thereby enhancing the overall fire resistance of the house.
Fire Sprinklers
According to a 2024 study by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), homes equipped with sprinklers experienced 89 percent fewer civilian deaths and 31 percent fewer injuries in structure fires from 2017 to 2021.
Fire Resistent Materials
By using materials like stucco or cement fiber siding that do not ignite, the house’s exterior provides a robust barrier against external fire threats, providing crucial time for occupants to evacuate.
Type "X" Fire-rated Walls
Gypsum board can be upgraded from the standard 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch thick Type “X.” For a small increase in material cost, every wall – including exterior walls – receives a one-hour fire rating.
Class A Roofing
Class A roofing does not contribute to fire spread, offering critical protection to the structure’s uppermost layer. This choice is essential in areas prone to wildfires, where flying embers landing on roofs can, and do, ignite less resistant materials
All-Electric Systems
Gas leaks, particularly after seismic events, are a common cause of house fires. By relying solely on electricity, the house mitigates this risk, contributing to a safer living environment.
Examples of Fire-ResistantDesign Choices
No Soffit Vents &
Managed Vegetation
Traditional venting systems in roof cavities, while necessary for preventing moisture buildup, can also allow hot gases and embers to enter the building during a fire. This design not only reduces potential entry points for fire but also has the added benefit of added thermal efficiency, contributing to the home’s excellent energy performance.
Additionally, by ensuring that landscaping is strategically placed at least five feet away from the structure, a buffer zone minimizes the likelihood of fire spreading from vegetation to the house, further enhancing safety.
Do You Need A Faster Alternative?
Panelized Housing In Partnership with Wellmade - Designed to Withstand Extreme Conditions
DNM Architecture is the architect of record for Wellmade’s semi-custom, climate-hardened panelized homes, bringing several additional advantages to California housing, including:
1
Quicker Construction
Faster build with consistent quality control means homeowners can move in sooner, and with
fewer issues in their new build. Prefabricated standardized panels are quickly assembled to create a dry building shell and avoid weather delays, hinderances, or damage to finish materials.
2
Meeting Expectations
All-inclusive fixed pricing eliminates surprises and the too-familiar feeling of “running out
of money” part way through a project, resulting is suboptimal finishes or a project that
doesn’t meet expectations.
3
Safety & Durability
Fire resistance 2x more than code requirements, and earthquake resistance of 1.5x
code requirements. Additionally, Prefabricated standardized panels are quickly assembled to create a dry building shell and avoid weather delays, hinderances, or damage to finish materials.
DNM Architicture client success
David and his team designed a modern home on a virgin hillside lot in San Rafael. He managed the City Planning issues, steep slope, along with WUI issues and produced a design that matched our dream for a for-ever home. We selected David for his creativity, ability to deliver on time, and willingness to try new products. Our home was designed and constructed with a BoneStructure steel frame system. The home met and exceeds California NetZero requirements. David is one of the most creative and accommodating architects we experienced.
Cant say enough good things about Dave and the DNM team. They are not only super professional, have great taste, and terrific communicators, but they make us feel like we are their only client. Their responsiveness and level of involvement far exceeds our expectations. David has worked directly with our contractors even to the point of climbing scaffolding and checking out workmanship and making recommendations. David and his associates are true pros in every sense of the word. They are involved in every decision and always have alternate suggestions. Needless to say i would highly recommend DNM to anyone who needs an intelligent, experienced architect. The guy really knows his stuff and my wife and i are really happy to have him involved in this project.
David is an experienced architect who understands how to balance great design and budget. We just finished a project with him, and we’re very happy with the end result! One of the great things about him as an architect is that he can visualize a space even if he hasn’t visited it in-person. He works really well with only pictures and video, and is quick to provide rapid iterations all electronically as you work through the design. I’d highly recommend DNM Architect regardless of where you live.
Want to Learn More About Fire Resistant Homes? Contact DNM Architecture
Bay Area/Northern California
1A Gate 5 Rd.
Sausalito, CA 94645
415-348-8910
[email protected]
Palm Springs/Southern California
60050 Meredith Rd
Yucca Valley, CA 92284
760-206-6281
[email protected]