Fire Rated Roof Eaves
Once an eave overhang or soffit has ignited fire can spread onto the roof into the attic or onto and through the exterior wall.
Fire rated roof eaves. Soffits normally have vents as part of the attic ventilation system. Everything you wanted to know about fire rated construction but were afraid to ask. Unprotected vents can allow embers and hot gases to enter the attic see fact sheet 8 vents. Noncombustible or fire resistant materials.
The fire resistance rating shall be permitted to be reduced to 0 hours on the underside of the rake overhang where gable vent openings are not. Stucco is often recommended as one of the best materials for boxing in hazardous eaves. The fire resistance rating shall be permitted to be reduced to 0 hours on the underside of the eave overhang if fireblocking is provided from the wall top plate to the underside of the roof sheathing. This article describes products research on self closing soffit eaves ridge vents designed to reduce or stop the passage of embers into the roof cavity of a building through the building eaves or ridge during exposure of a building to nearby heat and fire from a forest fire brush fire or adjacent building fire.
Typical construction materials for eaves overhangs and soffits are not fire resistant and are therefore susceptible to ignition by embers and hot gases. Roof eaves overhangs are a fire hazard but they can be protected with an encasement of fire resistant material. Typical design and construction eaves. Eaves are the overhanging ledges of a roof and are usually diagonal.
Self closing ridge soffit eave vents for fire protection. A one inch 2 54 centimeter layer of stucco can easily lend a 1 hour fire rating to a wall source. Once an eave overhang or soffit has ignited fire can spread onto the roof into the attic or onto and through the exterior wall. Eaves without suffixes or with rt are for rafter and truss installation where spacing is commonly imprecise.