Can Aluminum Foil Really Protect Your Home From Fire?

Last week, as Kaldor fire engulfed the area around Lake Tahoe, one viral story became a beacon of hope: a cabin that appeared to be wrapped in aluminum foil withstood the fire. But does it really work?

What happened in Caldor Fire?

The San Francisco Chronicle first published photographs of the hut and its seemingly miraculous survival last week. The document stated that the hut was one of the few that survived a fire in a forest area near the Sierra at Tahoe, and added that it was compared to a baked potato.

The difference between a baked potato and a home, of course, is that one is designed to be exposed to heat and the other is not, and forest fires are much hotter than stoves. Questions immediately arose about how this house handled the wrapping technique. One person, Firezat founder Dan Hearning, told Chronicle that his company sells similar-looking packaging, and that it is “not tin foil,” but rather fire shields that have aluminum on the outside and woven polyester and fiberglass threads on the inside.

Although the virality of the hut’s survival gave Hirning the opportunity to share his unique experience, it has not been confirmed that the hut used Firezat at all; There are many such aluminized structured fire protection coatings or films on the market. For those living in an area prone to wildfires, they can be a real saving grace – provided that homeowners have enough time to put them out. The process uses thousands of paper clips and is not ideal when a fire inevitably hits the property.

So what can you do to avoid or minimize fire damage? Let’s take a look at this.

What can you do to prevent or deal with a fire?

If you live in an area prone to wildfires, keep fire extinguishing tools nearby, always dispose of hot or flammable objects such as charcoal, carefully, start any fire you start, extinguish anything that smokes, and obey local open fire laws …

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the event of a nearby bushfire, head to a room that can be shut off from outside air. Install a portable air purifier, put on a respirator (and ask your doctor if it is safe to do so), avoid using candles or gas, and mostly check this information sheet.

The American Red Cross provides some tips for preventing home fires: Install smoke detectors at every level of your home, check them every month, change batteries as needed, and work with your family to plan a fire escape. If a fire does occur, get out of the house and stay away from it. Call for help, but never come back for anything, for anyone.

Are you sure aluminum foil won’t help in a house fire?

This is where the aluminum foil coercion comes in handy. You might want to save your belongings, which is sensible, and perhaps you saw a viral story last week and imagined covering your belongings with foil in the event of a fire or as you approach.

The things you care about should be part of your fire escape plan. Keep them together, ideally in your bag with you. Think also about fire safety; they are made to withstand hell. Again, never run into a burning house for anything. Fire can damage the structure of a building and cause areas to collapse, or you can inhale smoke and become incapacitated. Instead, get help as soon as possible. Only trained firefighters – with special tools and an abundant supply of water – can help deal with the flames, possibly saving your belongings or the entire house in the process.

The bottom line is that there are many ways to prevent and fight fires, but aluminum foil is not one of them, no matter what some guy on Twitter says. Aluminum foil can withstand temperatures up to 1220 degrees Fahrenheit, which is great for cooking, but a home fire can reach 1100 degrees Fahrenheit in about three and a half minutes and can go up to 1500 degrees.

At least here’s some good news for you: your pretty jewelry, silverware, silver coins, filing cabinets, pots and pans, and stone furniture may not be destroyed, so once the flames are completely out, go back and look for them.

This article was originally published on September 15, 2021 and has been updated on September 16, 2021 to correct factual errors.