Choose fire-resistant plants and materials and create defensible areas using these design strategies

The Philbin Group Landscape Architecture

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Planning Your Landscape 

Protect your home and property by incorporating fire safety guidelines and “buffer zones,” called defensible spaces, during the landscape design planning stages and beyond. These guidelines usually include the use and proper placement of fire-resistant plants and trees and other fire-resistant materials that you can incorporate into the landscape areas surrounding your home. Creating defensible spaces is also critical for safe access by firefighters.

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Graphic from Cal Fire

Create and maintain defensible space. This infographic shows the recommended defensible space surrounding a home in California. Two zones make up the guidelines for the 100 feet of defensible space, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Zone 1: The home defense zone is within 30 feet of the house. Within this zone you want to remove all dead or dry vegetation, as well as any dead or dying plants, and keep tree branches at least 10 feet from your chimney and other trees. Relocate wood piles into Zone 2.

Zone 2: The reduced fuel zone is 30 to 100 feet from the home, or to the property line. Within this zone make sure you cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of 4 inches. Create horizontal spacing between shrubs that are two to six times the shrub’s height, depending on the ground’s slope. Space trees 10 to 30 feet apart, depending on the ground’s slope. Remove all tree branches less than 6 feet from the ground. If shrubs are growing underneath a tree, allow clearance space of at least three times the shrub’s height to the tree’s lowest branch. 

These guidelines were created for some regions in California. Check with your local fire jurisdiction to determine the guidelines and laws in your area.

Foundation Landscape Design

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Incorporate nonflammable hardscape materials. This strategy will create fire-safe zones adjacent to your home and help keep your home safe should a fire approach. 

Nonflammable materials include gravel, concrete, stone, steel, decomposed granite and other fire-resistant materials. 

Use these materials for walkways, patios, retaining walls, planter edging, driveways or planter bed mulch.

Pat Brodie Landscape Design

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Slow down or stop a fire in its path. This is an important goal in the initial landscape design phase as well as during ongoing maintenance.

• Break up large planting areas with a combination of fire-resistant plants and noncombustible materials.
• Reduce the quantity and the size of plants to reduce the fuel for fire.
• Plant ground covers and shrubs in clumps or groups, rather than in a continuous pattern, to create breaks between them.
• Avoid plant overcrowding to minimize plant competition for available water and nutrients.
• Boulders, rocks, gravel or stone in pathways and as a ground cover for bare spaces help create an effective fire break.
• Deciduous trees are often more fire resistant than evergreen trees because they have a higher moisture content when in leaf.
• A property on a steep slope with larger vegetation requires greater spacing between trees and shrubs than a level property that has smaller and sparse plantings.

Classic Nursery & Landscape Co. / Alan Burke, asla

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Other landscape design features that can slow down or stop a spreading fire:

• Water features, ponds, streams or swimming pools.
• Driveways, walkways, patios and parking areas composed of nonflammable materials.
• A lawn positioned between your home and other plantings. Since drought-stricken areas present other concerns, there are many alternatives to the water-thirsty traditional lawn that are also very effective in slowing down a fire.

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

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Create a fire-safe zone around wood decking. Although decking products not treated with fire retardant are combustible, some decking is not highly combustible on its own, according to Cal Fire. Typically, other fuel sources, such as plant debris or other combustible materials stored under or on top of the deck, as well as combustible vegetation surrounding it, contribute to deck fires. Keep this in mind during fire season, and maintain your decks to keep them free of easily-ignited materials such as leaves and needles that accumulate between the deck boards, along the home’s siding and below the deck.

If you have your heart set on a new wood deck, look for wood that is treated with a fire retardant or other fire-resistant building material. Hardwoods from South America, such as ipe and cumaru, have high fire resistance (and many are sustainably farmed). A fully enclosed deck will offer added protection by eliminating a heat trap below it.

Another good tactic is to isolate the deck from fire by adding noncombustible materials, such as stone, concrete or gravel, along the front sides and below the deck to create a fire barrier.

5 Stone and Gravel Types for a Rockin’ Landscape

Greenwood Design Associates, LLC

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Planting Your Landscape

Choose fire-resistant plants. There are no fireproof plants, but plants that possess a high moisture content are more fire-resistant. Many native plants are considered to be among the most fire-resistant plant for fire-prone regions.

Typically, native trees and shrubs are adapted to their native regions, deep-rooted and proficient at acquiring water from the soil and retaining it in their leaves. There are also many non-native plants that posses fire-resistant qualities. Some characteristics of fire-resistant plants:

• They have moist and supple leaves.
• They have little dead wood and tend not to accumulate dry wood and leaves.
• Sap or resin properties are low.

Check your local resources for the recommended fire-resistant plants and trees in your region.

Find a professional landscape architect or designer near you

Gardens by Gabriel, Inc.

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Add succulents. By now, most people are aware of the drought-tolerant and easy-care benefits of succulent plants. Besides these favorable attributes, succulents are also extremely fire-resistant. Succulents and cactuses store water in their leaves, stems and roots, making them some of the top fire-resistant plant choices. Many succulents require frost-free regions to live, but there are also species that survive in low temperatures. Check with your local nurseries for succulent varieties that thrive in your region.

Hortus Oasis

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In a recent conversation I had with author and succulent expert Debra Lee Baldwin, she shared a story recounting how a grouping of succulents had shielded a vulnerable corner of a Southern California home during a devastating wildfire a few years ago. The homeowner says that the flames came within 6 feet of her home and then stopped. 

She attributed the fire’s halt to the succulent Aloe arborescens, ironically called torch aloe, shown here. This aloe can reach 4 to 8 feet tall and wide and grows in USDA zones 9 to 11 (find your zone). Baldwin further explained that the fleshy leaves of succulents may cook in the fire, but they don’t burst into flames or spread the fire, thanks to their juicy water-holding attributes.

Zinnia Design

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In addition to their drought-tolerant benefits and striking architectural beauty, succulent plants, along with noncombustible ground covers and hardscape materials, can serve as an effective and attractive “living safety shield” and offer added protection against fire to a home and its surroundings.

See more Houzz guides to growing succulents

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

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You can see the eucalyptus trees shredding bark and the debris scattered beneath — deadly fuel for a fire, left. Juniper is shown, right, with unmaintained tall dry grass — two unwanted fire fuel companions.

Avoid highly flammable plants. Shrubs and trees that contain resins or oils in their stems, leaves or needles are highly flammable. Some of the offenders include juniper shrubs and eucalyptus, pine, spruce and fir trees. 

Tasmanian blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) is one of the most flammable trees and is capable of releasing a flammable gas that sends out fireballs during a fire. 

Juniper shrubs (Juniperus spp.) also contain flammable, volatile oils and accumulate dry leaves and needles, and they burn fast in a fire. 

Check with local fire-safe resources for the fire-prone plants and trees to avoid using in your region.

The Sharper Cut, Inc. Landscapes

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Maintaining Your Landscape

• Prune all trees so that the lowest limbs are 6 to 10 feet off the ground.
• Remove dead branches and debris in trees and shrubs and around all plantings.
• Remove dead and dying plants.
• Use a fire-resistant mulch material or gravel in planting beds to help retain the moisture in the soil.
• Keep your irrigation system well-maintained.
• Familiarize yourself with local fire-safe regulations and recommendations regarding vegetation clearances.
• In low- or no-summer rain regions, be sure to keep plants irrigated. For native trees and shrubs that are not on a scheduled irrigation cycle, deep irrigate at least once per month, or as needed.

Find a tree service in your area

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

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Other Fire-Wise Maintenance Practices

• The roof is one of the most vulnerable structures of a home during a wildfire. Fire-retardant roofing materials are of prime importance for protection and fire prevention.
• Keep tree limbs at least 10 feet from rooftops, chimneys, power lines and other structures.
• Keep leaves and other debris off of roofs and eaves.
• Keep your home’s gutters free of leaves and needles, as they can easily ignite.

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

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In the event of a fire, you can reduce how quickly the fire spreads and increase the survival of your home, your landscape and your family. There is a wealth of valuable information available through countless fire-safe organizations worldwide to further guide you.

 

source: houzz.com

There's something so appealing about a century home. From gingerbread trim to old-fashioned finishes, historic homes boast distinct “character” not easily replicated in newer builds.

If you're obsessed with classical details or an old-soul hoping to put down roots, a century home might be perfect for you. However, although full of charm and history, a 100-year-old home could come with a few problems. Here are six things you need to consider before buying a century home.

Do your research

Before you even consider putting in an offer, speak to a REALTOR® about the home's history. A REALTOR® can find out when it was built, whether the previous owners have pulled (or failed to pull) permits for additions and any recent major repairs the home has undergone. If you feel uncomfortable, don't be afraid to ask questions. Homeowners are required to answer honestly if they've had to do work on their home. For example, fixing a crack in the foundation or a leak in the plumbing. If you're hesitant about the cost to run a century home, a REALTOR® can also ask for copies of recent utility bills.

If you're satisfied with the condition of the home and decide to put in an offer, do not skip on the home inspection. A home inspector will analyze the basement or crawl space to make sure the foundation is intact, look out for signs of mould, structural issues and code violations that, if gone unnoticed, could potentially be hazardous and costly to repair. Should the inspector find any hidden problems, it can be grounds for you to ask the seller to fix the issues, negotiate a lower price, or break your sales agreement.

Plan for an added contingency fund

No matter the house, you should have a designated contingency fund for unexpected repairs. As homes age, they become prone to wear and are less likely to meet the most current building code standards. Depending on when it was last updated, you may need to fix things like wiring, plumbing and HVAC systems. Outdated electrical panels and knob and tube or aluminum wiring, for example, face a much higher risk of overheating and fire. Even if you don't intend to renovate your home, new safety-related improvements may be necessary. The more you save for these extra costs, the better prepared you'll be should they arise.

Know your potential restrictions

If your dream home is deemed a heritage home, you may face added renovation restrictions. Any plans you have for the house will have to be approved by a committee in the town or city where you live. Some towns will only consider a house's exterior as a part of its history, whereas others will also place restrictions on interior features. Renovating an old home within the restrictions you're given may end up costing you thousands more if you need to restore or completely rebuild any features like dentil mouldings, gables or gingerbread trim.

Check if you're able to update

If you do plan to upgrade, you have to work with the existing structure, which means some modern updates—like an open floor plan, finished basement or forced air heating or cooling—can be more difficult to integrate. 

Make energy efficiency a priority

Homes have come a long way over the past 100 years in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency. An older home will generally equal higher utility bills, so even if you aren't noticing issues with the current state of the home, it would be wise to consider updating a few things for the sake of saving money and the environment.

Most century homes aren't well insulated. Your home inspector should be able to give you an idea of the home's current R-value(thermal resistance)—or can recommend an energy auditor to evaluate the efficiency of the home and which upgrades would have the greatest impact at improving that efficiency. The lower the R-value, the less efficient the home will be at retaining heating (or cooling) and the higher your bills will likely be—especially when our summers and winters are at their most extreme.

Windows and doors in older homes are also typically single-pane and not the dual or triple pane varieties currently on the market, which offer a better thermal value. If you don't have the budget to replace them, try adding a foam or rubber seal to door and window frames or spray foam insulation behind the trim. Window coverings can also go a long way to help reduce loss and buffer drafts.

Invest in high-quality insurance

While your insurance premiums shouldn't increase as a result of buying a century home, your insurance company may not insure certain aspects of the house because of its age. Speak to an insurance broker or representative before putting in an offer to make sure everything in the home will be covered sufficiently.

Don't let the fear of the unknown keep you from buying a century home. You may not find those charming details and historic touches in a newer build. Keep these points—and a healthy contingency fund—in mind and you'll be one step closer to your dream home.

Source: realtor.ca

Wide-open spaces are wonderful, but there are important functional issues to consider before taking down the walls

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1. Do I Want to See All the Public Spaces in My Home All the Time?

Looking at a beautiful and tidy space like this makes it hard to imagine wanting to put up walls. If your home is one where you like to spread out papers for work or projects, where you prefer to let the kitchen cleanup wait until after you’ve enjoyed the meal, or where kids leave lots of toys strewn about, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But if looking at that stuff will make you feel compelled to constantly neaten up, an open layout may not be for you.

Find a local architect on Houzz

Let Us Inc

2. Is a ‘Not-So-Kitchen-y’ Kitchen for Me? 

Within an open floor plan, the kitchen is usually in full view of the dining and living areas. One of the comments I hear most often from designers working within an open plan is that they have designed the kitchen to look “not-so-kitchen-y.” This can mean it has features like open shelving or windows instead of upper cabinets; an island with a waterfall countertop to provide visual separation; storage concentrated on one wall; or appliances camouflaged by panel fronts.

Do you like to keep your herbs, spices, cooking utensils, small appliances and other items out on the countertops? Do you prefer a traditional kitchen look over a sleek camouflaged one? Do you like to leave your kitchen cleanup until after the party is over or gather for meals at the kitchen table in a cozy space? Then consider other layout options in addition to an open floor plan, and imagine your lifestyle in each. Open plans may be popular, but a closed-off kitchen certainly is not a bad thing — you can close the door on the mess and enjoy your time with your family and guests without feeling as if you should be washing pots and pans and putting everything away.

See more photos of waterfall countertops

James Frank Construction Inc

3. Do I Need a Quiet Place to Work? 

One of the biggest benefits of an open floor plan is that it incorporates multifunctional spaces more efficiently than other kinds of layouts can. But it’s important to think about how these spaces will function for different uses every day. A home office nook is a great thing, but if there is too much noise from other conversations, the TV and video games or children playing, it can be too loud to make important phone calls and concentrate on work. (This also applies to kids trying to do homework.) 

Check out more home office photos

Michael McKinley and Associates, LLC

4. Will TV Noise Drive Me Crazy?

Open plans are great for those who want to keep an eye on the kids and what they are watching from the kitchen and other spaces. But I have a friend with a living room that’s open to the kitchen, and the noise from cartoons seems even louder in the kitchen than it does in front of the living room TV. If the reality is that other family members will be watching TV when you want quiet, a TV within the open space is not for you. This means you should have separate rooms or a TV den that contains the noise. Or incorporate a separate, closed-off quiet room for reading and working into the floor plan.

Frankel Building Group

5. Are My Visions of Entertaining Realistic? 

“If you build it, they will come” holds true only if you’ll actually plan and host the fabulous get-togethers that you’ve conjured up in your head. Ask yourself if this really will happen on a regular basis or if the big groups you’ve imagined will be gathering around the kitchen island and flowing in and out of other spaces only once or twice a year. When factoring entertaining into your home plans, carefully weigh your day-to-day activities and lifestyle versus your realistic entertaining plans.

Browse counter stools in the Houzz Shop

 

Source: www.houzz.com