Steel Fire-Resistant Framing

FLEXIBILITY TO DECIDE & IMPLEMENT FIRE RESISTANT DESIGNS

The Owner's option to build with Fire Resistant Steel Framing can be decided and implemented from the earliest design stage or later throughout the planning and permitting process and even after final permits have been issued by the city building department. Even when wood framing structural designs have been completed, we are able to efficiently implement engineered alternative steel framing options with an expedited time line at little or no overall impacts to price or schedule.

Many owners today are facing the combined impacts from increasing wildfire risks, the effects of climate change and complete loss of fire insurance or exorbitant insurance pricing increases. Additional superior wind resistance and seismic earthquake strength are compelling many owners to design fire resistant homes using steel and framing in lieu of highly combustible wood framing. The increasing magnitude and frequency of wood structure fires is also reshaping the insurance industry and lawmakers in many states. The enormous losses and future risks are pressuring lawmakers and industry to modify building codes and design alternatives to reduce future losses.

Traditional lightweight wood-frame construction provides a combustible fuel load far exceeding steel framing construction. Steel will not burn like wood thus avoiding the catastrophic impacts from fire destroyed homes. Wood frame structure fires spread rapidly throughout the home and potentially to adjacent home structures. Steel framing is utilized in thousands of homes and is the standard in some locations such as Hawaii. California homeowners are embracing steel framing in greater numbers.

Equal Partners provides the entire building program for design-engineering, supply and installation of steel fire safe structures. Unlike panelized or catalogue design programs, Equal Partners deliver projects with complete owner design flexibility for custom home structural framing alternative building systems. We believe the custom home design process lends itself most effectively with design and engineering specific to each custom home design. Please review our section on Steel Fire Rebuilds detailing the multiple benefits of structural light gauge framing alternative building systems.