Modern Homes/Fast Fires: Residences are Constructed to Burn Eight Times Faster Than in Past Decades

They don’t build homes and furniture like they used to. Now, they burn faster. New technologies and product advancements are making us more efficient and more productive. But there is a cost, and that cost is risk. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), while the number of home fires that occur each year has fallen by nearly 50 percent since 1977, the total amount of resulting property damage (in dollars) is increasing.

Homes today burn an estimated eight times faster than in past decades. In fact, flashover, the point at which intense heat causes an entire room to become engulfed in flames, now occurs less than five minutes after a fire starts, whereas it used to take 30 minutes. This faster progression gives homeowners, firefighters and other first responders less time to react, creating significant hazards to safety and property.

Newer homes are constructed and furnished differently than in the past. Specifically:

•  Building materials. Years ago a 2X4 actually measured 2 inches by 4 inches. Today, due to the way lumber is mass produced, it’s 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. Though the change is slight, consider all of the 2×4’s that make up a home’s frame and the difference in materials becomes significant. Less material to burn means a faster collapse time. To make matters worse, in many instances, home frames are not constructed of natural wood but rather particle board and other man-made materials. These materials are more lightweight and less expensive, making it possible for builders to construct larger homes more quickly and at a lower cost. However, these materials are also less dense and contain highly flammable petroleum, so they burn much more quickly.