Can A Fire Ruin The Foundation Of My Nashville Home?

7/26/2021 (Permalink)

The core materials of concrete used to construct the foundation of a home, such as cement and aggregates, combine to form an inert material, so the foundation of your Nashville home will not burn. Concrete cannot be set on fire like other building materials. Its slow rate of heat transfer also means that the concrete of your home foundation will act as an effective fire barrier. 

However, fire CAN damage your foundation. 

WHAT ARE THE WAYS FIRE CAN HARM THE FOUNDATION OF MY NASHVILLE HOUSE? 

When a fire exposes foundation concrete to high heat:

• Extensive damage can occur due to the temperature shock to the material. Concrete expands as it’s heated, so if extreme heat is applied, the outer layers expand more quickly than the inner layers. The layers will separate from each other, eventually breaking away.
• When hose streams or automatic sprinkler systems douse a fire, the hot concrete cools suddenly, and the outer layer may shrink at a different rate and break away.
• When extreme heat penetrates concrete enough to weaken the steel reinforcement components within the concrete, the structural integrity of the entire structure could be negatively affected.

HOW CAN I PREVENT FIRE DAMAGE TO THE FOUNDATION OF MY NASHVILLE HOME?

Practicing fire safety will protect your Nashville house from fire damage, keeping everyone safe. Some critical fire safety tips for homeowners to follow are:

• Maintain fire alarms properly
• Use caution with open flames
• Cook safely, using proper kitchen tools
• Establish a fire escape route 
• Heat your home safely
• Use electricity in a safe manner
• Protect yourself first in case of fire

The SERVPRO of Hermitage/Donelson team of experienced technicians can be onsite right away to help you recover from fire damage. We are experts in managing the recovery of homes, businesses, personal belongings, and any other items that have been affected by a fire. 

We can get your home or business Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, too. 

This franchise is independently owned and operated.