How To Fireproof Your Home + Fire Safety Checklist
Your home is one of your biggest investments—and it deserves the best protection. As fire risks continue to threaten homes across the U.S., taking proactive steps to safeguard your property is essential.
Recent data puts this into perspective. A 2024 CoreLogic Wildfire Risk Report revealed that more than 2.6 million homes in 14 states were at moderate to very high risk of wildfire damage. The estimated cost of rebuilding these homes? Approximately $1.3 trillion. Moreover, wildfire risks aren't limited to just these 14 states. Homeowners across the U.S. should understand the specific risk factors in their area using tools like FEMA’s National Risk Index.
Meanwhile, research from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reported 344,600 residential building fires in 2023, which is the latest data available. These incidents resulted in an estimated $11,266,200,000 in losses and thousands of deaths and injuries.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help reduce your risk. Consider reviewing your homeowner insurance policy for fire and wildfire coverage details. Knowing the ins and outs of your plan can help avoid potential gaps in protection and ensure your coverage limits are sufficient.
Once you confirm your coverage, it’s time to take action to protect your property. This guide will walk through multiple fireproofing strategies, from creating defensible space to using fire-resistant materials. Plus, we’ve included a free, downloadable checklist to help you confidently take action throughout the year.
1. Home hardening: Strengthen your home’s defenses
When it comes to fireproofing, the materials that make up your home matter. During a wildfire, airborne embers can travel miles ahead of the flames, igniting homes that aren’t built to withstand them.
Investing in fire-resistant materials (i.e., non-combustible siding and ember-resistant vents) can significantly reduce the risk of home ignition. By making strategic upgrades, you can create a stronger first line of defense against wildfires.
Here are some key ways to harden your home against fire:
- Apply fire-retardant coatings: Fire-retardant coatings slow the ignition of decks, fences, and other wooden structures. However, these coatings require periodic reapplication.
- Install fire-resistant siding: Replace flammable siding with fire-resistant options like fiber cement or stucco to prevent flames from reaching your home's structure. When installing, seal gaps around windows, doors, and vents with fire-resistant caulk to help block embers from sneaking in.
- Upgrade to Class A fire-rated roofing: A Class A roof is your first line of defense against embers. Roof replacements are also one of the best home improvement projects for increasing a home’s value, making it a win-win for long-term safety and resale value. Metal, tile, and specialized asphalt shingles offer the highest fire resistance, but ensure proper, professional installation for maximum protection.
Unconventional home hardening methods
In addition to more traditional fire-proofing methods, emerging materials could provide even better protection in the future. According to the Natural Hazards Center, researchers are exploring fungi-based composites as a fire-resistant, sustainable alternative to conventional insulation. These materials leverage fungi to create lightweight, biodegradable insulation with excellent heat resistance.
Unlike traditional insulation, which often relies on synthetic fibers or mineral-based products, fungi-based composites are grown using agricultural waste, creating a natural and sustainable alternative. This makes them both renewable and environmentally friendly. While still in development, these materials could become a more affordable and innovative fire-resistant material for homeowners.
2. Defensible landscaping: Create a fire-safe perimeter
While home hardening focuses on the structure itself, firescaping can protect the surrounding area. By strategically managing vegetation and creating a clear zone around your house, you can reduce the amount of combustible material available to fuel a fire.
When planning a defensible space, visualize your property in the center of multiple rings of protection. The area closest to your home requires the most meticulous maintenance, gradually transitioning to a more natural state further away. This tiered approach minimizes the risk of flames contacting your house and helps to interrupt the fire's path.
Here's how you can create a fire-safe perimeter around your home:
- Establish a 30-foot defensible zone: Regularly remove all flammable debris, such as dead leaves, pine needles, dry branches, and overgrown vegetation. This includes under decks, near fences, and around sheds. Prune trees and shrubs, keeping branches at least 10 feet from your roof and other structures. You should also store propane tanks and firewood at a minimum of 30 feet away from the house.
- Choose and maintain fire-resistant landscaping: Select drought-tolerant plants with a low resin content. Keep lawns mowed short, especially during dry periods. Water regularly (while conserving water where needed) to maintain healthy, less flammable vegetation.
- Create fuel breaks: Use non-combustible materials like gravel, concrete, or rock for pathways, patios, or other features to interrupt fire spread.
Unconventional defensible landscaping methods
Creating a truly fire-resistant landscape is an ongoing process, and innovative solutions are constantly emerging. For instance, fire-resistant mulches, often made from recycled materials, are more fire-resistant than traditional wood mulches and can slow the spread of flames. This simple solution represents a significant advancement in landscaping for fire safety.
In addition to this work on the ground, you can also defend your property from above. Drones are a hot topic of conversation among fire-fighting communities. As startups race to build drones that fight fires, there is also an opportunity for homeowners to take advantage of this technology as part of their fire prevention strategy.
For instance, homeowners with access to a drone (or a drone rental) could use them to monitor their property, helping them proactively identify and address fire hazards like dead tree branches and dry vegetation. With aerial footage, you can map out defensible zones, spot problem areas that aren't visible from the ground, and plan targeted cleanups.
Remember to look up the rules for recreational drone use before you fly, and never fly a drone near an active fire since that could interfere with firefighting efforts. This technology provides a comprehensive view of your landscape's condition, empowering you to maintain a more fire-safe property before—not during—a disaster.
3. Ember-proofing: Seal vulnerable entry points
During a wildfire, wind-driven embers are one of the most significant threats to homes.
They can easily enter through small openings and accumulate in vulnerable areas, such as attics, vents, and decks, eventually sparking a full-blown fire. Taking proactive steps to ember-proof your home can significantly reduce this risk and dramatically increase your property's chances of survival during a wildfire.
Ember-proofing focuses on sealing off these potential entry points, creating a barrier against the insidious spread of wind-blown embers. Here are a few steps you can take to help ember-proof your home:
- Seal gaps and cracks: Inspect around windows, doors, roof edges, and where pipes or wires enter the house. Use fire-resistant caulk or weather stripping to seal gaps or cracks, especially where different building materials meet.
- Cover gutters with non-flammable guards: Install non-flammable gutter guards to prevent the accumulation of leaves, pine needles, and other debris in your gutters. Regularly clean gutters to further reduce fire risk.
- Install fine metal mesh screens: To prevent embers from entering, cover all exterior vents, including attic vents, foundation vents, and eave vents, with fine metal mesh screens (1/8-inch mesh is recommended). Also, ensure your chimney has a spark arrestor.
- Use ember-resistant vents: Ember-resistant vents prevent embers from entering attics and crawl spaces. Replace all exterior vents with these specialized models and inspect them regularly.
- Enclose or screen under decks: Decks can trap embers and create a fire hazard. Enclosing the underside of your deck with fire-resistant sheathing or installing fine mesh screening can help prevent embers from accumulating.
Unconventional ember-proofing methods
While the above methods are important preventative steps to protect the home, scientists and engineers are continually developing new fireproofing solutions. One promising innovation is intumescent sealants and coatings, which expand when exposed to extreme heat to create a protective barrier. As testing advances, these materials could become a valuable addition to wildfire defense strategies.
These coatings might seem like a quick fix, but it's important to be cautious. Testing has shown that some exterior coatings don't weather well and may have a short lifespan. Some areas restrict their use because there's no standard way to measure their fire performance after weathering. Remember, these newer solutions may not be widely available, so consult fire safety professionals for the best advice.
4. Interior protection: Fireproof inside your home
Exterior fire defense is crucial, but taking steps to protect the inside of your home is equally important. Small adjustments inside can significantly slow the spread of a house fire, improve safety for your family, and potentially limit the damage caused by smoke and flames.
These interior fire safety measures are particularly important because they address high-risk areas inside your home, whether the fire originates from a wildfire or from a more common household accident. In fact, our Housefire Statistics report found that cooking is the leading cause of house fires, highlighting the need for fire-resistant kitchen materials, proper ventilation, and accessible extinguishers.
These interior fires can spread quickly, making proper education and prevention a key to avoiding or limiting damage. Take these steps to help fireproof the interior of your home:
- Close interior doors at night: Closing bedroom doors and other interior doors can significantly slow the spread of fire and smoke, giving occupants more time to escape in an emergency.
- Keep flammable materials away from heat sources: Move flammable furniture, curtains, and décor away from windows, fireplaces, stoves, and other heat sources. Store important documents in a fireproof safe or a metal filing cabinet with a high fire-resistance rating. For extra protection, consider keeping backup copies in a waterproof, fire-resistant box or a secure, offsite location.
- Install smoke detectors: You should install smoke detectors on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and in the attic. Check them monthly to ensure they are working, and replace the batteries annually or as needed.
- Keep fire extinguishers readily available: Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and on each floor of your home, ensuring everyone in the household knows how to use them. Consider having a smaller extinguisher specifically for grease fires in the kitchen.
- Consider an interior fire sprinkler system: While a greater cost, home fire sprinkler systems can significantly reduce fire damage and increase the chances of survival. This could be a worthwhile investment for those in fire-prone areas.
Unconventional interior fire protection methods
Beyond the standard interior fire safety practices, higher-tech solutions may offer additional layers of protection. Some integrated smart home systems have advanced fire detection and suppression technologies.
These systems can include interconnected smoke detectors, smart sprinklers that activate only in the affected area, and even AI-powered fire detection that can identify potential hazards before they ignite. They can even send early warnings of potential fires directly to your smartphone.
5. Water solutions: Help combat fires in drought-prone areas
Water conservation is essential in drought-prone regions, but readily available water sources for fire protection are equally critical. When wildfires threaten, quick access to water can make a significant difference in slowing the spread of flames and protecting your property.
Proactive planning and strategic water storage can help you take immediate action before evacuation becomes necessary or even aid firefighters. Here are some ways to ensure you have water available for fire protection:
- Know your local water resources: Familiarize yourself with any nearby water sources, such as ponds, streams, or fire hydrants. While you shouldn't rely on these as your primary water source, knowing their location can be helpful in an emergency.
- Keep long hoses readily available: Have several long garden hoses that are capable of reaching any area of your property, even the roof. Keep these hoses connected to outdoor spigots and ready for immediate use.
- Maintain a dedicated water supply: Consider installing a water storage tank or reservoir specifically for fire protection. You can use this water to supplement your garden hoses or supply roof sprinklers. Firefighters may even draft it if necessary.
- Install roof sprinklers: Roof sprinkler systems can wet down your roof and surrounding areas, creating a barrier against embers and radiant heat. These systems can be activated manually or automatically when sensors detect high temperatures or smoke.
Unconventional water solutions in drought-prone areas
While primarily for recreation, swimming pools can also serve as a valuable resource during a wildfire. A pool's large volume of water can help wet down surrounding vegetation, create a firebreak, or even supply water to firefighters if needed.
Consider investing in a portable pool pump to turn your pool into a personal fire suppression system to maximize its fire protection potential. These pumps draw water from the pool, allowing you to spray down high-risk areas before emergency responders arrive. Ensuring easy access to the pool and keeping a pump with long hoses readily available adds another layer of protection in fire-prone areas, especially if water is scarce.
6. Emergency readiness: Have a fire escape plan
A fire can spread with alarming speed, engulfing a home in flames in minutes. In such a terrifying scenario, every second counts. Creating and practicing a fire escape plan can help you take the necessary steps before a fire starts so your actions become automatic in an emergency.
Here's how you can be better prepared for a fire emergency:
- Create and practice a fire escape route: Develop a detailed fire escape plan that includes multiple escape routes from every room in your house. Make sure all windows and doors are easy to open from the inside. Finally, designate a meeting point outside at a safe distance from your home.
- Keep emergency supplies accessible: Store emergency supplies in a readily accessible location. This kit should include flashlights, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, N95 masks (for potential smoke inhalation), fire blankets, a whistle (to signal for help), and a portable NOAA weather radio.
- Store important documents securely: Keep important documents, like insurance policies, birth certificates, and financial records, in a fireproof and waterproof safe. Consider storing a digital backup of these documents in a secure cloud service.
- Designate an out-of-town contact: Choose a friend or family member who lives outside your area to be your designated contact person. Everyone in the family should know this person's phone number and know to contact them after escaping a fire to confirm everyone's safety.
- Know your community's emergency alert system: Familiarize yourself with how your community notifies residents of emergencies, such as wildfires. This might include text alerts, reverse 911 calls, or local radio and television broadcasts.
Building with fire safety in mind: New construction homeowners’ advantage
If you’re in the market for a new home, new construction options offer a unique opportunity to incorporate fire-resistant features from the ground up. This can save you money and headaches down the road while providing superior protection against wildfires.
California put this into practice with their upgraded building codes. Research from 2021 shows that these updates have significantly reduced wildfire risk, lowering the average chance of structural loss by roughly 40% for homes built in 2008 or later compared to those built in 1990.
These updated codes protect the homes built under them and benefit nearby properties. A neighboring home's risk of structural loss dropped by 6%, with even greater protection in densely built areas.
This demonstrates that fire-resistant construction doesn’t just safeguard individual homes—it strengthens entire communities. By choosing new homes that are built for the future, homebuyers can take advantage of these advances in fire mitigation, reducing risk and increasing resilience against wildfires.
Stay prepared: Fireproofing is an ongoing effort
Wildfire risks, weather patterns, and even the natural growth of vegetation around your property are constantly changing. Maintaining a fire-safe home requires regular maintenance, proactive planning, and a consistent effort to mitigate potential hazards.
By making fire safety a part of your routine home maintenance, you safeguard your property and demonstrate a commitment to risk mitigation that could potentially lead to insurance discounts. While not applicable in every situation, some states (like California) mandate wildfire mitigation discounts.
Ready to simplify your fire safety routine and stay on top of essential maintenance tasks? Download the Hippo Home App to create a customized maintenance schedule tailored to your specific needs and property.
Download the fireproofing solutions checklist
Protecting your home from fire can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. We compiled essential fireproofing strategies into one checklist with seasonal tasks to help you maintain a fire-safe property and minimize wildfire risks.
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