What does a class A fire rating mean on a roofing product mean? It means that the roof covering has undergone extensive fire testing using the ASTM E 108 test standard at the Class A level. Class A is the best classification available.
For polymer roof coverings there are three tests.
1. Intermittent Flame - an assembly of tiles is subjected to an intense flame for two minutes then turned off for two minutes. This is cycled 15 times to see if there is failure in the roof deck.
2. Spread of Flame - flame and air current are applied for 10 consecutive minutes and then checked for failure.
3. Burning Brand - This is my personal favorite...not that I liked starting fires as a child. In this test, a burning brand is placed on an assembly of roofing tiles with a high volume of wind behind it. The decking of the assembly is constantly monitored for 90 minutes to see if any fire burns through. If fire burns through the roof deck anytime during the 90 minute trial, the tiles fail. Below are pictures of DaVinci's Class A Fire rated slate and simulated shake roofing. DaVinci tiles PASS these tests with flying colors.
