There are few things more destructive than a house fire. This is why most roofing products are engineered to meet high standards of fire resistance, stopping the spread of flames across your home’s roof.
However, not all fire-resistant roof systems are created equal: When it comes to protecting your home from fire damage, a Class A fire-rated roof system is proven to be the best.
Roof materials with Class A fire resistance undergo rigorous testing, needing to demonstrate the same high standards of resistance to flame spread and extreme heat, without compromising the appearance and aesthetic variety of natural roofing.
Class A Synthetic Roofing Systems: The Best Fire-Resistant Roofing Material
While no roof is truly fireproof, Class A roofing materials are the next best thing, able to withstand direct contact with flames for extended periods of time.
The highest standard of fire safety a roofing product can achieve, Class A certification, is usually awarded to non-combustible roofing materials such as metal, clay, or concrete.
Synthetic roof systems can qualify for this fire safety rating by demonstrating their ability to resist ignition for extended periods, stop flames from spreading across the roof surface, and more.
EcoStar products are no different; our synthetic roof tiles are constructed from a highly durable, upcycled polymer that resists impact damage, severe weather, and, of course, extreme temperatures.
Synthetic and natural roofing materials are both tested under the same conditions and held to the same standards of fire resistance to qualify for the Class A distinction. However, research suggests that synthetic roof systems can withstand higher temperatures and longer exposure to direct flame than conventional asphalt shingles.
According to a 2021 study conducted by the Annual Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), synthetic cedar shakes reduced the average flame spread after direct contact by roughly 40% when compared to Class A asphalt shingles tested under the same conditions.
After 25 minutes of direct flame contact, an average of 96.5 square inches of the Class A asphalt shingles were burned across two attempts of the test. Meanwhile, only 51 square inches of the synthetic cedar tile were burned under the exact same conditions.
Fire Resistant Roof Ratings, Explained:
Synthetic roofing materials are already less flammable than natural wood shakes or other traditional roofing materials, but they’re still held to the same high standards of fire safety.
To uphold those rigorous standards, the International Building Code (IBC) tests all roofing materials against three key criteria and assigns each a safety rating based on its performance.
Both synthetic and natural materials can receive one of four fire ratings: A, B, C, and unrated. Any roofing product must achieve at least a C rating to be considered safe and commercially sold. Among these, Class A is unequivocally the best.
While any fire-resistant roofing material that earns a letter grade is considered safe to use, most building codes don’t allow for unrated roofing materials. The IBC subjects all roofing materials to the same three tests to ensure they meet a consistent standard, which include:
- Spread of Flame Test: This test measures how quickly fire spreads across the surface of a roofing material.
- Intermittent Flame Test: In this test, a gas burner exposes the tile to a flame for two minutes at a time. The flame is turned on and off for a total of 15 intervals. Class A tiles can withstand all 15 without breaking down.
- Burning Brand Test: This test involves subjecting the roofing material, including the underlayment and insulation, to a burning brand. The larger the brand the material can withstand, the higher its fire rating will be.
To qualify for each grade, a roofing material must achieve the minimum result in all three tests, but to reach Class A, the criteria are very specific.
The Standards for a Class A Fire-Rated Roof System
To qualify for Class A, roof systems must pass all three IBC Fire Safety Tests and meet high-performance criteria that go beyond the limits of other materials.
To pass, Class A materials need to:
- Reach no more than a 6-foot flame spread
- Withstand a burning brand that’s 12” x 12” in size.
- Remain undamaged after 15 cycles of intermittent flame.
- Withstand flame for 2 to 4 hours without igniting.
Despite these rigorous standards, to really keep your roof as protected as possible against fire damage, Class A tiles aren’t quite enough. It’s also important to install Class A tiles as part of what’s called a “Class A roofing system”. This means ensuring that your roof’s underlayment and other materials are also Class A-certified.
EcoStar Class A Fire-Rated Roofing Materials
EcoStar offers a variety of Class A fire-rated synthetic roofing materials, ensuring adherence to the highest fire safety standards. To express our commitment to the safety of your home, these are our Class A fire-resistant synthetic roofing products:
- Traditional Slate
- Niagara Slate
- Traditional Shake
- Niagara Shake
- Aspen Blend Shake
- Concrete Flat Tile
- Island Groove Clay
EcoStar: Durable, Beautiful, Synthetic Tile That Keeps Homes Fire-Safe
At EcoStar, we offer synthetic roofing tile that captures the natural elegance and beautiful shades of natural materials while delivering the high-performance, safety-engineered advantages that only synthetic materials can offer.
All our synthetic roofing products are designed to withstand severe weather conditions, UV exposure, and extreme temperatures, including direct flame exposure. Contact us to learn more about our Class A and Class C certified roofing products.