Many of today’s roofing materials come with ratings for impact, wind, hail and even fire. No matter where you live, it is worth investing in a roof that can provide your home the best protection against fires. Also, installing a fire-rated roof may be required by your local building codes.
Keep reading to learn more about fire ratings from local roofing experts.
Class A Roofing
As much as possible, you should get a roof with a Class A rating. Materials rated Class A are ideal for locations that experience wildfires and can offer the best fire resistance. A roofing product must withstand severe fire exposure to gain this rating.
Class A-rated materials can experience a maximum flame spread of six feet and last two to four hours before ignition. These products can withstand a burning brand measuring 12” x 12” and weighing 2,000 grams. They can also resist 15 cycles of gas flame turned on and off.
Among the most popular roofing options with this rating include clay tiles, slate, asphalt glass fiber composition shingles, and concrete tiles. You can ask your local roof repair and replacement contractors about which of these options are available in your area. Moreover, combining lower-rated materials with certain elements can create an assembly-rated Class A roof. One example is a Class B shake roofing with a fire-retardant treatment combined with Type 72 roll material.
Class B Roofing
Class B roofing materials offer moderate protection against fire exposure. They can experience a maximum flame spread of 8 feet and withstand a burning brand of 6” x 6” and weighing 500 grams. It will take around an hour before they ignite, and they can resist eight cycles of a gas flame turned on and off. The most known Class B-rated roofing materials are pressure-treated shakes and shingles.
Class C Roofing
You can only get minimal fire protection from Class C roofing materials. They can withstand a burning brand measuring 1.5” x 1.5” and weighing 1/4 grams. Class C-rated roofing options can experience a maximum flame spread of 13 feet and last 20 minutes before ignition. They can also resist three cycles of a gas flame turned on and off. Common Class C building materials include plywood, particleboard, and untreated wood shakes and shingles.
At MHI, we’re here to help you choose the best roofing materials for your home. Aside from roof installation, we also offer storm damage repair services. Give us a call at (412) 831-9991 or fill out our contact form to get a free inspection.