Action Sheds Australia Warns Farmers: “Protect Your Farm Sheds from Bushfires”
Announcement posted by Action Sheds Australia 24 Jan 2013
Shed builder and distributor in Perth offers safety essentials for keeping farm sheds safe from bushfires.
Summer is here, and with it comes the heat: and with the heat comes bushfires. Not only are farm sheds susceptible to bushfires, but they can also endanger any building within 20 meters. Newer sheds are built of Zincalume or ColorBond steel, and are very safe from fires. However, the steel can radiate heat that causes the contents inside the shed or wood buildings within 20 meters to catch fire.
The most common way for a bushfire to burn a home or shed is by what are called “ember attacks.” Embers are transported through the air and find gaps within buildings, where they then ignite the materials inside. They can be transported under eaves, in roof cavities, or through air vents. The embers can sit for hours, but once the fire starts, it is extremely difficult to extinguish.
Since this summer has been a brutal one for bushfires, Action Sheds Australia recommends that those who have farm sheds immediately take precautions to protect both the sheds and their houses.
First, remove all flammable materials from the shed. Next, install weather stripping around the insides of all windows and doors. This will eliminate any gaps, including those that aren’t normally visible. Then, put leaf guards on gutters; this will prevent a build-up of leaves.
Also, external skylights should be covered by non-combustible firescreens. Then, cut the flashing to the profile of the roof sheets with a scribing tool. Last, remove firewood from both the shed and house areas. During a bushfire, nothing can guarantee that any house won’t be one of those that burn, but simple precautions can decrease the likelihood of a fire.
Max Italiano, owner of Action Sheds Australia, has a strong commitment to safety, and hopes that all unnecessary fires can be avoided: “We have erected a lot of farm sheds, both in the Perth area and outside of it, and we always go out of our way to provide our customers with the utmost in safety. Usually, that comes in the form of very strong, well-moored sheds, but bushfire season brings a different set of variables into play.”
Italiano continued, “We are ShedSafe certified, which means that we only handle sheds that are built to the most stringent standards of safety in Australia. That guarantees that they are sturdy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make them, their contents, or the surrounding buildings fireproof. In fact, the very thing that makes our sheds so sturdy, the steel construction, can make them dangerous to nearby buildings in a bushfire.”
Italiano strongly advocates paying diligent attention in a year that has seen more brushfires than usual: “There’s no way around it: this has been a terrible summer for bushfires. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t even be an issue for most people. Usually, the wind and rain are much more of a threat to safety and structural integrity of a shed or house than bushfires. This season, though, has made fire prevention measures crucial.”
Italiano concluded, “There is a point where your house and shed are going to go up in flames no matter what you do. Fortunately, though, there is a lot you can do to prevent your house or shed from catching fire if the bushfire is far enough away. We want to see everyone stay safe.”
Action Sheds Australia, based in Perth WA, can erect quality barn or farm shed anywhere in Australia. Visit their website for more details: http://www.actionsheds.com.au/about-action-sheds-australia/ or call them at 1300 778 628.
The most common way for a bushfire to burn a home or shed is by what are called “ember attacks.” Embers are transported through the air and find gaps within buildings, where they then ignite the materials inside. They can be transported under eaves, in roof cavities, or through air vents. The embers can sit for hours, but once the fire starts, it is extremely difficult to extinguish.
Since this summer has been a brutal one for bushfires, Action Sheds Australia recommends that those who have farm sheds immediately take precautions to protect both the sheds and their houses.
First, remove all flammable materials from the shed. Next, install weather stripping around the insides of all windows and doors. This will eliminate any gaps, including those that aren’t normally visible. Then, put leaf guards on gutters; this will prevent a build-up of leaves.
Also, external skylights should be covered by non-combustible firescreens. Then, cut the flashing to the profile of the roof sheets with a scribing tool. Last, remove firewood from both the shed and house areas. During a bushfire, nothing can guarantee that any house won’t be one of those that burn, but simple precautions can decrease the likelihood of a fire.
Max Italiano, owner of Action Sheds Australia, has a strong commitment to safety, and hopes that all unnecessary fires can be avoided: “We have erected a lot of farm sheds, both in the Perth area and outside of it, and we always go out of our way to provide our customers with the utmost in safety. Usually, that comes in the form of very strong, well-moored sheds, but bushfire season brings a different set of variables into play.”
Italiano continued, “We are ShedSafe certified, which means that we only handle sheds that are built to the most stringent standards of safety in Australia. That guarantees that they are sturdy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make them, their contents, or the surrounding buildings fireproof. In fact, the very thing that makes our sheds so sturdy, the steel construction, can make them dangerous to nearby buildings in a bushfire.”
Italiano strongly advocates paying diligent attention in a year that has seen more brushfires than usual: “There’s no way around it: this has been a terrible summer for bushfires. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t even be an issue for most people. Usually, the wind and rain are much more of a threat to safety and structural integrity of a shed or house than bushfires. This season, though, has made fire prevention measures crucial.”
Italiano concluded, “There is a point where your house and shed are going to go up in flames no matter what you do. Fortunately, though, there is a lot you can do to prevent your house or shed from catching fire if the bushfire is far enough away. We want to see everyone stay safe.”
Action Sheds Australia, based in Perth WA, can erect quality barn or farm shed anywhere in Australia. Visit their website for more details: http://www.actionsheds.com.au/about-action-sheds-australia/ or call them at 1300 778 628.