Wildfire

Fire‐Retardant Gels

Research In a study conducted in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, IBHS evaluated the long‐term effectiveness of two fire‐retardant gels when applied to a wood‐based substrate. Gels are a type of coating meant to provide protection for a short period, a few hours, and are typically applied manually just prior to…

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Wind

Wind Loads on Components of Multi-Layer Wall Systems with Air-Permeable Exterior Cladding

Research Post-hurricane damage assessments have documented the failure of wall components and connections including the loss of various types of siding materials. In addition, recent US model building/energy code changes are expected to lead to increased use of continuous insulation, particularly foam sheathing attached to the exterior surface of light-frame wall framing, to achieve advanced…

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Wind

Hurricanes of 2018 – a Tale of Two Landfalls

Florence and Michael brought punishing wind, wind-driven rain and storm surge, exploiting the weakness inherent in thousands of properties. However, they also offered stark evidence that we can build defensively and narrow the path of damage.

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Wind

Wind Uplift of Asphalt Shingles

Research IBHS wind testing of asphalt shingle products has demonstrated that the most important factor affecting high-wind performance for self-sealing asphalt shingles is the strength of the seal between shingles. Self-sealing asphalt shingles contain a temperature-activated adhesive strip applied during the manufacturing process, which is used to adhere the lower-edge bottom surface of the exposed…

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Hail

Relative Impact Resistance of Shingles

Research IBHS tests the impact resistance commercially available asphalt shingles using both 1.5- and 2.0-inch diameter laboratory manufactured hailstones using the IBHS hail impact testing protocol. Laboratory and field research by IBHS has shown that the impact energy and material properties of laboratory hailstone sizes can be directly related to typical natural hailstones in non-wind…

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Wildfire

Near-Building Noncombustible Zone

Research Wildfire activity is on the rise and with this comes an increased impact on buildings, including homes and businesses, in the wildland-urban interface. Residents and business owners can take steps to reduce the risk to their property located in wildfire-prone areas. Eliminating fuels from the immediate area surrounding the building, as referred to as…

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