Wildfire--vulnerable homeowners prefer steel roofs

An American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)-sponsored survey found that when faced with the threat of potentially devastating wildfires, 85 percent of consumers say they would prefer a steel roof on their homes.

The survey, conducted by the global research firm Wirthlin Worldwide, also found that among the group wielding primary influence on home improvement purchases—women ages 18 to 54—an even greater 93 percent said they favor a steel roof. Asked whether they would favor a mandate to change local building codes to require that roofs in fire-prone areas be constructed of fire-retardant materials, like steel, two of three said they would support such a requirement.

The survey results were announced at AISI’s annual meeting in San Francisco. “Fire prevention experts and roofing contractors alike will tell you that installing a steel roof is one of the most effective steps to reduce the chance of a house being destroyed by fire and of the spread of fire,” said AISI Vice Chairman Dan DiMicco, vice chairman, president, and CEO of Nucor Corp.

“From a firefighter perspective, steel roofing gives you the advantage when, if for example, you’re fighting a rapidly approaching fire, the steel roof allows you to focus on the more vulnerable parts of the house or a structure, such as the sides, because you know the metal roof isn’t going to be prone to the fire,” said Kim Raddatz, Coronado, Calif., fire chief, who installed a steel roof on his own home.

“There’s been an awakening among consumers in cladding and roofing their homes in steel,” maintains Pete Croft, Metro Roof Products, a U.S. manufacturer of steel roofing.