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How to avoid fire danger in your attic

An inspector looking for termites in the attic of a home.
RBI team

October 29, 2024

For Australians, summer is all about family time, holidays and celebrations. But it’s also a season of extreme weather which can cause potential dangers around your home.

In the extreme heat, your house can experience changes in its internal climate as the season goes on. Roof spaces in houses are particularly prone to trapping heat as the sun beats down from outside and the hot air rises inside.

If your attic and roof spaces aren’t properly prepared for the summer heat, then there could be disastrous effects. It’s not uncommon for fires to break out in attics from the combination of insulation, wooden interior and the extreme heat. But there are things you can do to make sure your home is safe this summer.

Here are some trade tips from our team of inspectors to help make sure your house stays cool in the heat.

Make sure your roof space isn’t over-filled

Tightly packed storage boxes can quickly become kindling for a fire. Dried out cardboard boxes and files and folders of paper are the number one cause of attic fires. Prepare for summer with some clear space between your storage boxes. Keep air flow as a priority to make sure the temperature of your roof space is able to stay regulated and low.

Install a whirlybird in your roof to keep the temperature down

Fires are easily started with hot, stagnant air, and overheated materials. Installing a whirlybird means you allow for air to continually travel in and out. Whirlybirds are proven to reduce temperatures by several degrees.

Consider your roof tiles

If you live in a particularly hot area of the country, it may be worth your while to have light-coloured tiles. In places where the sun is particularly intense, the colour of roof tiles can make a big difference. It’s been proven that light coloured roof tiles can lower the air temperature in the roof space by up to 9ºC.

Always be prepared for the worst

Taking these precautions is a wise decision, but in the event that all preventative measures fail, you will want to be ready. Always have a fire extinguisher in your house. Make sure that it has been inspected and is in-date. Smoke detectors are life-saving devices. Always have them installed throughout your house, particularly in any potentially dangerous rooms.