Sarking Can Help Against Bushfires

Roof sarking is almost as essential as your roof itself. It’s a thin, reflective material that’s installed under your roof tiles. We’ve written many articles on the benefits of roof sarking, and even how it works best together with insulation. Sarking’s primary function is to reduce heat transfer from the roof to the interior of the home. However, it’s the gift that keeps on giving as it also plays an important role in protecting homes during bushfires.

As beautiful a country Australia is, she unfortunately is prone to bushfires, particularly during the hot and dry summer months. We all remember how not too many years ago, we as a country faced the national disaster of Black Summer. We should be learning from these events and should try to be more prepared for when disaster strikes.

Bushfires occur all over Australia. From the east coast to the west coast, up north, down south, and even in Tasmania. They can cause extensive damage to homes and pose a significant risk to floral, fauna and also human life. When a bushfire occurs, the intense heat can cause the roof tiles or metal sheets to crack or warp, allowing embers to enter the roof cavity. Once inside, the embers can ignite any flammable materials, such as insulation, and cause the entire home to catch fire.

Roof sarking can help to prevent this from happening. The one fact about sarking that we emphasise in all our articles, is that it is a reflective surface. This actually helps to reflect the intense heat of a bushfire, preventing it from entering the roof cavity and igniting any flammable materials. Moreover, roof sarking provides an additional layer of protection against ember attack since the material is non-combustible, which means it won’t catch fire if exposed to embers.

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires that all new homes in bushfire-prone areas be constructed with roof sarking. The BCA outlines specific requirements for the type of sarking material, the installation method, and the overlap between each sheet. These requirements are designed to ensure that the roof sarking provides maximum protection against bushfires.

Having said all that – It’s important to note that roof sarking alone cannot protect a home from bushfires. There are many other factors that contribute to a home’s bushfire resistance, such as the design of the home, the type of materials used, and the landscaping around the property. However, roof sarking is a crucial piece of the puzzle in creating a bushfire-resistant home.

Sarking truly is an important component for your home’s roofing system and we recommend that you have it inspected annually, or if you start to see your energy bills spike up suddenly. Our team are happy to come and inspect your sarking and if necessary, help you replace it with brand new sarking so that it’s no longer an issue for many decades to come. If you’re in a bushfire-prone area, we are also trained in the correct installation of sarking as per BCA requirements. Contact our team today for a personalised inspection and quote.