Balloon Frame Constructions - Essay Example

Why the balloon-frame building is so hazardous to the firefighters and the occupants are that they are made of the long continuous studs of wood that can easily catch fire. The studs of wood are used to erect walls from the foundation up to the roofline that is long, concealed and is obstructed by the ventricle channels. The floor joint is normally hung from the wall studs. .Incase fire elapses in this kind of construction it spreads from the lower floors up to the floor level which leads to the collapse of the structure (Avillo, 2002, p.123).The ventricle combustion spaces are found between the walls of the study of a balloon frame building enhancing the spread of fires from one door to the next.

In case the fire spreads into the stud space or if it originates from the stud place it easily spreads from the ventricle cavity into the horizontal joints and into the attic space.When re-modeling a balloon frame building, fire stopping techniques may or may not be installed. The reason for this decision is because the installation of the fire protective mechanisms can be an expensive process. It has been observed that the sprinklers cannot be used in extinguishing fires in the balloon fire structures.

The basement of the balloon-frame building can easily catch fire; this is because it has impediment access to the entire structure by using the unfirestoppable walls. Fire, therefore, spreads up to the entire structures and into the attic at a very high rate (Avillo, 2002, p.123).It is important to know the building that has caught fire than to know the fire that is within a building because the building can influence the spreading fire at a different speed. These can lead to the destruction of property as well as a loss of lives of people within the building.