Home Hardening Products

This list is not conclusive, but shows some of the many products available that can help reduce a homes vulnerability to wind driven wildfire.

Ember Resistant Vents

• • After the recent fires, most experts are now recommending 1/16th inch mesh for vents. This will stop most embers from entering structures from vents, which is a big vulnerability. This mesh can be used to cover your existing vents (which are usually 1/4" mesh) from the front or rear.  Wildfire Defense Mesh is a 1/16th inch mesh from Australia designed to help protect your home and community from the three threats of wildfires: Embers, Radiant Heat and Direct Flame. It's a great product and there are several options available, from rolls of the mesh to pre-made screens. They can be reached online and at 415-226-6838. 

  • FireStorm Building Products also make 1/16 inch mesh in rolls or in pre made vents. In addition, they make stainless steel gutter guards. They are great products, and have been thoroughly tested (the same company makes Vulcan Vents). They have local dealers (like Anawalt Lumber in Malibu) that you can search for on their website

          For those that want to replace their old vents with new ones, here are some options:

• •  Brandguard Vents trap the embers inside a metal baffle and seal themselves up if subjected to high heat.  They are also available at Lowes

  • Vulcan Vents are another product designed to stop embers and also seal themselves up if subjected to high heat. 

  • Metal exhaust vents also are a good idea. The ones with a damper and a screen can be used to refit plastic bath exhaust fan and range hood vents (which melt when subjected to heat). For dryer vents use the metal ones with dampers only-no screens, as screens can cause combustible lint to build up.

Rain Gutter Filters: A rain gutter debris filter will eliminate the hazard of dry, ignitable leaves filling up your rain gutter. They should be made out of metal. Not plastic or foam.

• • Raptor Gutter Guards is great all-stainless steel product. You can purchase these through Amazon.com

  • EasyOn is another great gutter guard made of metal. You can buy it through the Costco website (of course, you have to be Costco member). 

  • Some Topangans have inexpensive plastic filters on their gutters (like these). We DO NOT recommend them, as they have openings that are too big, (so embers can get in) and they tend to disconnect easily from the gutters over time.

Rain Gutter Cleaning Tool

• • If you don't want to cover your gutters, here's a handy cleaning tool called GutterWhiz that can be purchased online.

Garage Door Weatherstrip

• • One vulnerability to ember intrusion is the gaps around garage doors. Garage door weather strips can solve that problem. There are several available on Amazon . Here's a company that has many different garage door sealing options.

Fire Resistant Tarps

• • A fire retardant tarp is good for covering firewood, or other combustible material in your yard. Fire retardant tarps are often used for events or applications where the risk of fire is present. The tarps are treated with substances that lessen the flammability of items. While they are not necessarily fireproof, they can slow down or possibly stop the spread of fire.

Fire Resistant Siding

• •  James Hardie makes a range of home siding materials that are fire resistant.

Fire Resistant Decking

• • Versadeck makes a modular aluminum Class A fire rated deck system. Remember, any deck that is attached to a home should be considered part of the home. If it ignites it can bring fire right to the structure. If you have a wood deck, make sure there is nothing combustible below it! 

Stainless Steel Door Mats

• • Keeping the first 5 feet around your home free of combustable material is important. Door mats can catch embers and burn. Stainless steel door mats are a good fire-safe solution, like these sold by Garrett Wade. They can be slippery, so please install the rubber feet that are available!

Fireproof Fencing

• • Stackwall makes concrete fencing in many styles

  • Timbercrete is another concrete option that also makes Ranch Rail fencing 

  • Panelized Steel Fences. When neighboring buildings are located within 20 feet of each other, use of steel fencing for the perimeter area can serve as a radiant barrier, providing added protection should a neighboring building ignite and burn. Even "hardened" homes are at risk if subjected to the radiant heat from a nearby home that is on fire. Research in Australia demonstrated the ability of panelized steel fencing to resist a radiant heat exposure. Durabond Fencing in Oregon is a supplier. Barrier Boss is another company that sells steel fencing.

Skylights

• • Velux makes tempered glass skylights in many sizes. Tempered glass can withstand more radient heat than plastic.