Hollow Product Helps Brick Group Carve Siding Niche

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) launched a public awareness campaign late last year calling attention to fire safe building methods. Using National

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) launched a public awareness campaign late last year calling attention to fire safe building methods. Using National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) figures, the institute cited some 381,000 home fires in 2005 that resulted in more than 3,000 deaths and $6.7 billion in property damage.

To combat this, new building codes are being developed to enforce Îignition-resistantÌ construction practices and materials, BIA reports. The 2006 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code was created specifically to advocate fire-safe building practices for rural areas vulnerable to wildfires, as well as for suburban and urban areas where housing density, cluster zoning and zero lot line development have increased the threat of fires spreading from house to house.

Recognizing this, institute officials add, some building material manufacturers are stepping up research and development of new products that can meet or exceed the current industry standard for fire-resistance: a grueling test that exposes the materials to direct flame and destructively high temperatures for a period of no less than one hour.

Ignition resistance

BIA recently tested two new types of hollow brick, designed to meet demand for sustainable or green building materials, in an independently certified fire test that also compared the performance of two competing residential exterior cladding materials Û premium grade vinyl and fiber cement siding. Conducted at an authorized independent facility, the tests were done in accordance with ASTM E 119, the Standard Test Method for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials. Each of the tested materials was used to construct a typical exterior house wall section, which was then subjected to fire for one hour or until one of the failure criteria was met. Failure takes place when the wall collapses, flame or hot gas penetrates the wall, or when the temperature rises to 250_F or greater on the unexposed (interior) side of the wall.

Hollow brick was the only material to pass the test, achieving a one-hour fire-resistance rating for the wall. Vinyl siding burned away, failing the test after only 18 minutes and exposing the underlying house structure to the flames. Fiber cement siding, which homeowners and builders often assume to be adequately fire-resistant because of its concrete-like composition, also failed the test and could not withstand the flames for a full hour, BIA reports.

Brick is already well known for its fire-resistance, says BIA Vice President of Engineering Gregg Borchelt. However, this is the first time that the new hollow brick has been tested to verify that it provides a one-hour fire rating for exterior walls. These tests proved conclusively that hollow brick maintains the expected level of protection.

Although the results of the BIA tests have not been publicized to date, many municipalities are already taking steps to reduce the danger of fire-spread in their areas. The Gwinnett Daily Post, which covers Atlanta’s fast-growing suburbs, reported last year that building officials were investigating fire hazards and building density to determine whether requirements for construction materials and setbacks should be changed. Although the report specifically stated that county commissioners were in favor of brick, stone and stucco over vinyl siding on homes built closely together, no action was taken.

Winder (Ga.) Fire Department Chief Raymond Mattison told the paper, Part of the problem is the proximity of houses. We need more separation between structures, more fire-retardant materials between structures. Building houses out of stone or brick is helpful because it slows flames.

Preventing fire loss

BIA notes that experts recommend homeowners not only choose ignition-resistant materials, but also use proper landscaping techniques when building or remodeling. Such actions create a perimeter of safety around a house, decreasing the possibility that flames or airborne embers from a nearby fire can spread to the home.

Ignition-resistant construction is defined by one of the leading advocates of home fire safety, the California State Fire Marshal’s office, as using currently available building materials to create an ÎenvelopeÌ around the house to decrease ÷ burning embers that enter the building and ignite fires. Building homes in a way that diminishes the threat of such fires can reduce the main cause of home loss.

While other fire-resistant exterior siding materials are available, BIA contends its fire tests demonstrate that brick siding may be the best option for protecting a home. The tests firmly establish brick’s ability to meet local, regional and federal fire safety and building code requirements for withstanding direct exposure to fire for one hour.

Perhaps more than ever, it is critical that buildings, old and new, measure up to the most stringent fire codes, says BIA President Dick Jennison. Brick is a key material that can be used in the prevention of building damage, injury and death due to home fires.

Hollow brick benefits

In addition to its inherent fire-resistance, hollow brick is an ideal choice for builders and designers interested in building green, the institute contends. The product features a larger-than-standard core area, so production requires less energy and fewer raw materials. Because hollow brick is lighter in weight than traditional product, it is also less costly to transport, requires less infrastructure support in construction, and is easier for masons to handle.

Brick offers many other benefits to builders and homeowners, BIA affirms, and is known for a service life of 100 years or more. It is also virtually impervious to damage and weather, and it provides a layer of thermal mass that can help to reduce a building’s overall heating and cooling costs. Additional information on BIA and the hollow brick testing can be obtained by visiting www.gobrick.com.