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(HealthNewsDigest.com)-Huge fires scorch hundreds of thousands of acres in the United States every year, causing billions in damage-much of that in the form of homes lost. Hailstorms, from Colorado across the Plains, exact a toll that annually costs homeowners millions in repairs. And, along the Gulf Coast, there are many reminders of how hurricanes impact homes, both from wind and floods. No matter where a home is located, there’s a pretty good chance that it will face Mother Nature’s fury at some point.
Giving a home a fighting chance against natural disaster starts with exterior cladding. Of course, nothing is going to survive 100-year floods, being in the center of a firestorm, baseball-sized hail or sustained 170 mph winds, but, for everything else, careful consideration of a home’s siding is critical to withstanding “lesser” disasters. People tend to immediately think of a heavy, solid material as the best protection. For example, brick would seem a logical choice, given its resistance to fire and impact, but it suffers structurally from moisture exposure and freeze/thaw, which are issues in much of the country-and it’s very expensive. In fact, most traditional siding materials require some sort of trade-off.
Practical, Beautiful Protection
Over the last 20 years, a different material has emerged as a builder favorite for exteriors. Fiber cement is widely used because of its noncombustibility rating and use in several one-hour fire-resistance-rated wall assemblies, in addition to being rated to withstand 150 mph winds and earning a FEMA Class 5 flood resistance rating. It’s as beautiful as it is durable, too, designed to closely mimic the look of wood.
Since 2007, a national survey by Builder magazine has consistently rated James Hardie fiber cement siding products No. 1 in the U.S.; more than 4 million homes are clad in James Hardie siding. In addition to providing highly rated disaster protection, the company’s products are engineered for climate, meaning they perform best in specific climate conditions, called HardieZones. The HZ5 product line, formulated for the upper half of North America, is optimized to protect against freezing temperatures, snow, ice and moisture and maintains its dimensional stability under severe weather conditions. The HZ10 product line, designed for North America’s lower half, is resistant to moisture damage, cracking, splitting, rotting, swelling, salt air and high winds. Both are resistant to termites and flame.
“One well-prepared house with HardiePlank and boxed eaves survived, and houses on either side didn’t,” said Chief Kevin Dubler, of California’s Julian Fire Department, referring to a home that survived the record-setting blaze that ravaged San Diego County in 2003. “That tells you something about the product.”
James Hardie siding looks remarkably like wood and is available with ColorPlus Technology-a multicoat, baked-on paint finish applied at the factory that lasts twice as long as traditionally applied paint. The siding also comes with a 30-year, nonprorated, transferable product warranty and the ColorPlus is warranted for 15 years.
Learn More
For more information about James Hardie products and real-life examples of how they have helped homes survive fire, flood, hail and hurricane, visit www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/whyJamesHardie.shtml or call (877) 336-2339 for a free brochure.
The inside scoop on how to give your home a fighting chance against natural disasters can start with the outside-fiber cement can be an attractive way to protect your home.
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