On 22/01/13 4:03 PM, Russell Coker wrote:
I don't think it's the heat on the overall building that matters. It's the heat coming through the windows, to leaves in the gutters, to exposed wooden parts of the building, etc. After bushfires you see chimneys still standing, so it's obviously possible to make bricks that won't be significantly damaged by fire. Are regular There are two main issues with buildings - radiant heat directly affecting flammable materials, and ember attack (direct flame contact can be prevented with a good garden design).
Radiant heat needs to be blocked by physical barriers (e.g. brick walls, window shutters, water sprays). Ember attacks are probably best prevented by a building design that doesn't give embers an opportunity to lodge near flammable material (open eaves and under floor spaces are bad news), because ember attacks can last a considerable time before the main fire arrives (some embers can be blown over 30km ahead of the main fire on a bad day). Of course, maintenance such as cleaning gutters (or having a decent gutter guard) and keeping litter and debris away from the house will help! -- 73 de Tony VK3JED http://vkradio.com