# Barn fire prevention



## clwhizy (Aug 20, 2014)

Its a very scary thought! If I was building a new barn I would try to build a seperate hay storage building. Fire extinguishers are a great idea, as well as fire alarm. Because of the materials in a barn as soon as it starts it doesn't take long for the whole thing to be engulfed. They make fire resistant wood now, that's an interesting cocept, although expensive.


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## clwhizy (Aug 20, 2014)

I forgot to mention...rodent control!! There was a barn fire about 1 hr from me last fall and about 11 horses and a dog were lost. They believe the cause was rodents chewing on the electrical wires :-(


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

*Fire extinguishers are a must in any barn. *I happen to have mine hanging shoulder height, larger ones... ABC designation code so they work on any flammable object. 
Several of them; placed at either end and in the middle section, in the tackroom and feed room area. Newer barns, many are wired for smoke, heat and fire too..._ some have central station monitoring {it doesn't guarantee no fire, or getting to it in time to avert catastrophe}_

So....for some other things I do or have seen.
Me, I keep a minimum amount of hay bales in my barn at one time. I have 5 bales in the barn the rest in a building _away from my barn itself. _Carefully stacked so air can flow around and under them..
I also eventually will put electric in my barn. When I do so all wires will be snaked through steel conduit so no mice or rats can chew through those tasty wires and cause a issue.
Have it professionally wired with appropriate sized circuit breakers, GFI plugs and NO EXTENSION CORDS if at all possible ever.
A outlet in front of every stall...
Several circuits so you need not have all the barn lights on _{saves electricity and lowers the bill!}._ If you use regular light bulbs a safety enclosure around each bulb. If florescent lighting careful the fixtures you choose are made for a dusty, dirty environment again with bulb shields.. 
Don't use space saving heaters! 
I've seen kerosene one used *ONLY* if you were in the room with it and then extinguished and you remained there for some time so you could lift it and _put it outside away from danger. Some people use them when cleaning tack in winter, keeps the water hot and you from freezing standing in one place for a longer period of time._
Cobweb your lighting fixtures and the barn for that matter.... most barn fires are attributed to cobwebs catching on fire....unknown to many they are highly combustible.
_Use only sealed motor fans _to cool your barn/horses, again dust, debris and cobwebs are your enemy!
_*Listen to your horses carefully when ever you use any electrical device*....lights, clippers, anything. _If you hear feet suddenly scramble and move SHUT IT OFF and unplug it....horses are very sensitive to electrical shorts or problems. If you have that kind of reaction turn off the main power supply and get a electrician ASAP to find the problem.
When you have your barn wired....make sure you get a certificate that says it was wired by a licensed/insured and accredited electrician and keep that paper with your household paperwork. Heaven forbid you have a fire, that paper will have your insurance company paying a claim a lot easier than not....

A few things I've learned over time.... 

And these tidbits...
If you plug it in,_ unplug it. _
If you turn it on,_ turn it off. _
If you open it,_ close it. _
If it is locked,_ STAY OUT...you don't belong in their for any reason..._
If you don't own it,_ don't touch it or use it without owners permission!

_See, your barn building adventure and that of bringing the horses home gets more involved everyday to do it right...and more costly! :wink:

ENJOY!! 

_jmo..._


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Something that is rarely done is giving the inside of a barn a good wash down. At the stable I rode at as a teen, this was an annual event. Hay was stored separate from the barn. As soon as we start handling hay it creates dust. Nothing like sunshine coming in a window to show you just how much. Modern farmers are no longer storing hay in the barn lofts but opting to store it well away. Should the hay ignite, hopefully no other buildings will go with it.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

1. Have a big enough breaker box to where you don't overload circuits.

2. Put ALL of your wiring in conduit so the critters can't chew the wiring. Your insurance agent will love that more than the fire extinguishers

3. Yes to fire extinguishers 

4. We do store our hay in The same same barn with the horses. Money just wasn't there to build a barn, hubby's much needed workshop and a hay shed.

So, run tub fans on the hay until it is well cured. Better an increase in the electric bill than smoking hay. I have my fans on outdoor timers so I don't have to remember to turn them on or off.

5. I have an intercom on my nightstand so I can hear everything at the barn. A video/audio system whereby you could tap into it from your Smartphone would really be great

Don't put mulch around the barn for landscaping and to alleviate weed whacking against the barn.. It's a fire hazard plus draws bugs. 

Put heavy plastic down, fancy gravel, add some potted plants and statues.

In terms of fire safety, that's all I got


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## WildAtHeart (Jul 17, 2013)

*Stalls*
Personally I am not a big fan of stalls in general, but to each his own. In my future barn plan there are two or three stalls for the ill or injured but other than that everyone is outside 24-7

*Hay*
I would advise separating any stalls, tack room etc. from hay storage with a fire wall. That way if hay does catch fire, no tack, equipment or God forbid, animals will be harmed. Also do not store your tractors in with the hay.

*Fire Alarm*
Yes! Always. As many as you would have if it were a house, so not just one. You will want an Optical detector...residential ones can be set off by dust.

*Other Safety*
You definitely want fire extinguishers as well. And an emergency barn phone, not for your boarders (if you have some) to call their friend but for emergencies only! Above the phone should be a laminated page (because normal paper will get ruined). It should contain the following: The barn address, what to say to 911, your #, vets #, farriers #. There should also be a page with a map of your barn which shows fire extinguisher and hydrant locations.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Exit doors, lots of them. Keep them cleared of snow. Paddocks right outside of doors for fenced containment in an emergency.
I don't have fire alarms because who would hear them?


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## WildAtHeart (Jul 17, 2013)

natisha said:


> I don't have fire alarms because who would hear them?


When the alarm goes off it can alert the local fire department...depending on your system 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Good suggestions here. I'd like to add when we built our new barn a few years, we used the metal wrapped wiring (rodent deterant) and we ran it on the walls (but not in the horse stalls) and through the trusses so that it's exposed. With it being out in the open (rather than hidden behind the walls), it's extremely easy to do period inspections of its condition for safety purposes. Also, for the stall lights hung from the trusses we used a heavy duty glass cover (to "catch" a bulb should it explode open) and over the glass cover we have a metal cage to protect it from a horse hitting it (very unlikely because of height (10 ft ceilings) but just in case nonetheless).


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

As others have mentioned, rodent proof any electrical and be extremely careful when using extension cords. The vast majority of barn fires in our area over the years have all been due to electrical causes.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

WildAtHeart said:


> When the alarm goes off it can alert the local fire department...depending on your system
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


We don't have a staffed FD, it's all volunteer. They pretty much put out the embers.

I just remembered-lightening rods!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Keep the spider webs cleared out of your barn. Webs catch dust and dried out hay particles and will go up in a nanosecond. I 2nd washing down the barn yearly, helps keep things clean and dust free, as well as making it easy to do a thorough visual inspection of everything while you're cleaning.


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## Kotori (Jun 18, 2012)

I like what everyone else is saying, and agree that having a separate area for hay would be ideal, but if you must store hay with the horses, I'd make sure that it was well-cured before purchasing (at least a week), then stacked in such a way as to allow easy ventilation. Ventilation is king; vents along the roof are common for hay barns, and aren't a bad idea for animal barns either. otherwise, fans or other ventilation, and at least once a year, turn all horses out, and sweep the entire area. You'd be surprised how much crushed leaves/dust accumulate under bales. If not removed, it could pile up and hold moisture.

If you were going to be building your own barn, I'd check into the feasibility of including small attached runs, with dutch doors as access. In case of a fire, it'd make it somewhat easier to get horses out, I would think. (person inside barn forces horses out of stalls, shuts door behind them, instead of walking length of barn with each horse)

And, something I would hope is obvious, but... NO SMOKING in the barn, especially in the hay storage area. I would not board anyplace that allows smoking in barns (or doesn't allow it but happens). Too much risk


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

No smoking anywhere on property. Not just inside barn. People have a bad habit of throwing butts down that then get scuffed inside when they are walked over.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

And need to plan for a place to secure any horses gotten out, and needs to be far enough away from barn for fire equipment not to be needing in there, or near it to put out flames.

Also each horse needs its own halter and lead, leather not nylon, at each stall door.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Kotori said:


> ......
> 
> If you were going to be building your own barn, I'd check into the feasibility of including small attached runs, with dutch doors as access. In case of a fire, it'd make it somewhat easier to get horses out, I would think. (person inside barn forces horses out of stalls, shuts door behind them, instead of walking length of barn with each horse)



This won't work. If the runs are built of wood, will burn, and let horses loose. If metal, will either get ungodly hot or melt. And horses will come up to see the fire too, so will still run risk of losing them.

As well as they will be in the way of the firefighters too. And seconds will count.

And while you think person inside barn can force a horse out of stall, in reality that rarely goes well, horses will be more apt to spin and dart around that person, wasting valuable time, and could lead to person being overcome by smoke and trapped.


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## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

Don't use box fans attached to stalls to cool horses during the summer. The motors collect dust and can overheat. My trainer lost 7 horses in a barn fire due to box fans. He was gone for just over an hour. 3 pregnant mares with foals at their sides burned to death in their stalls. His champion stallion managed to jump out of his stall, but had to be euthanized due to severe burns. 

I cringe now whenever I see dusty box fans in barns. 

Spoke to my vet after the fire, stating that some day I'd have a fire resistant barn made of cinder block. Her response was " what about the bedding, rafters, stall doors and dividers?" They're all combustible. 

Lots of great suggestions on here so far, especially running all wiring through conduit, more than one breaker box, fire extinguishers, and numerous exits. If you can afford it, add sprinkler systems in the ceiling that go off in fires.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Aren't there fire alarm systems that could be wired to a house? So if the alarm went off, anyone in the house would hear it? I suppose triggering an alarm with a fire station would be even better - lucky for us our neighbors are all firemen and there's a fire station less than a km away! 

We are planning on dutch doors, but not runs, just doors that open out into a large paddock area. While the doors would be shut at night, in case of a fire, it would be easier to open the dutch doors from the outside than trying to get inside a burning barn. Of course I know the horses won't necessarily have enough sense to run out of their stalls, but at least they have a chance and humans don't have to go inside the barn to rescue them.


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## mmcleodk (May 2, 2015)

Fire extinguishers are rated by type and by area (by square feet it can extinguish)

Class A (combustable solids) and class C (electrical fire) are the two you could encounter in a barn (unless you store gasoline/diesel there for reasons I don't fully understand  )

So an A&C extinguisher rated to an area bigger than your barn is a must. (lots of extinguishers are ABC which is fine).

Beyond that make sure your wiring is done correctly, make sure your hay/straw/blankets etc are stored away from any sources of heat or areas where there could be a spark.

Another thing to consider is the area around your barn, a grass fire can ignite a barn as well.

A fire alarm is a great idea! though would you hear it from inside your house?

I'm a firefighter so these are the kinds of thoughts that occur to me as well 

Most barns thankfully are heavy wooden construction so take a while to light up and hold their stability for a long time while burning. The biggest danger won't be the main structure but the materials stored inside (namely hay/straw) so those are the areas to be the most mindful about. (they ignite at a very low temperature comparatively to the heavy beams/trusses).


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

mmcleodk said:


> Fire extinguishers are rated by type and by area (by square feet it can extinguish)
> 
> Class A (combustable solids) and class C (electrical fire) are the two you could encounter in a barn (unless you store gasoline/diesel there for reasons I don't fully understand  )
> 
> ...


Good to hear the perspective of a firefighter! As I said, all my neighbors are firefighters as well so if we could have an alarm that would be loud enough, or one that is wired to go off inside our house, we would have lots of help very quickly (we have the best neighbors in the world, seriously - they spent a week pumping water out of our basement while we were away and a hurricane hit and knocked out power for 11 days). 

We have an ABC fire extinguisher in the garage and would have a few in the barn. Also, like I said, individual stall doors than open from the outside so we don't have to go in the barn to let the horses out.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Acadianartist said:


> We have an ABC fire extinguisher in the garage and would have a few in the barn. Also, like I said, individual stall doors than open from the outside so we don't have to go in the barn to let the horses out.


*
Just so you realize that most horses will not willingly leave the safety & security of their stall during a fire.*
Many barns have burned and lives of horses lost...when after the fire was extinguished and investigators went in the stall doors had been opened by those trying to help the horses escape but the horses would not leave....

I've seen a few barn fires myself and held terrified horses while other horses were being led to safety by very courageous horseman.... 
Those animals fought and tried desperately to return to their stalls...their "safe place".
Blindfolding face, eyes and head and leading the animals out...it was not pretty but out they came.
Some were lost in the inferno, some were put down from smoke inhalation and burning of their lungs...
Hottest fire I ever experienced was a barn fire.....it was a inferno in minutes with all the combustibles feeding and fueling the blaze...

*As for fire extinguishers and what kind of ratings....*
General purpose of ABC is smartest and covers near anything to assist in putting it out... it is also the easiest to find in a store to purchase.
*A*: wood, paper, trash,etc...
*B*: flammable liquids primarily gasoline, oil, kerosene, propane
*C*: anything electrical in nature. 

Although you would think A & C most likely needed, don't ever forget the vast amounts of oily products so many of us have in hoof dressings, fly sprays, mineral oils, many antiseptic ointments, hair polishes, and the lost goes on and on.... besides the aerosol cans that can be highly combustible and explosive under heat.

_If you really want to look into a system..._
A high volume water sprinkler system that would drown a fire or a fire suppression system chemical based that would smother a fire by dumping vast amounts of chemicals to smother the ignition source of the flames.
A chemical system though works on the principle of starving and cutting off the entire oxygen supply...that can also suffocate the horses and humans trying to free them... a system like this is what is used in all forms of professional car racing.
Just some ideas to look into further...

Listening to many interviewed on television that had devastating barn fires they all said much the same thing....
"By the time the alarm sounded in the barn/house it was to late"......
"The barn was gone in minutes. The fire trucks arrived to late in time."

I can also tell you that many firemen have "0" idea of how to handle a horse, put a halter on and get them out of the stall and to safety...forget 1,000 pounds of hysterical horse,... they are _*not*_ calm during this time!
Acadian, if you have such a fear of fire occurring and so many close neighbors that you think would or could enter a burning barn and inferno to free your horses I would start by teaching them to handle a horse competently, like it is second nature to them. 
That to me is the biggest asset in help.... people who know how to handle terrified animal to keep them safe and remove the animal from danger....

_jmo..._


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks for this horselovingguy.

Yes, I understand horses will not leave their stalls willingly, however, being able to get to them from the outside of the stall without entering a burning barn gives them a better chance. I was planning on having dutch doors leading out to the paddock anyway, so they would be used to seeing that door open and would equate it with time in the paddock. And at least one of my firefighting neighbors has experience with horses. 

I don't like the idea of a sprinkler system for the reasons you mention. I'm guessing it would be pricey too. Not sure water would put out a barn fire and using chemicals on horses is out of the question.

Bottom line, I guess, is prevention. Not storing highly flammable materials in the barn, ensuring the hay is well cured and keeping it in a different building if possible. The electrical system will be done by a professional and I will be sure to ask for rodent-resistant wiring. No reason to use extension cords except for temporary use (clipping a horse's mane) and they get put away immediately after use.


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## Nutty Saddler (May 26, 2009)

My electric system has a main breaker that gets turned off overnight when no one is around - the horse stables wiring is never left live and the breaker is 20 yards from the stable block. It doesn't cause any greif as we have to walk past the breaker to get to the stables 

A good water supply is very useful , it helps with washdowns ,filling up water buckets , hosing horses down and you can get a spray fitting so you can use it as a fire extinguisher


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Nutty Saddler - yes, I've seen a lot of barns with a main breaker. That's a good suggestion!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

i want a barn like this for that reason. its metal and metal dose not burn. yes things inside can burn, like bedding, tack and feed but the spread rate will be A LOT lower. the stalls are made out of the kick proof and fire proof material as well (same as the rest of the building).


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, I've never seen a whole barn build with metal including stall fronts! While I agree that this would have interesting implications for fire prevention, in our cold climate, that metal would be freezing cold for 8 months a year!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Acadianartist said:


> Wow, I've never seen a whole barn build with metal including stall fronts! While I agree that this would have interesting implications for fire prevention, in our cold climate, that metal would be freezing cold for 8 months a year!



_*Oh owww..*. I am imagining the horses tongue if he licks around his feed bucket and the tongue sticks to the metal... _ 
I can only imagine the noise and echo factor in a barn such as this....
With the exception of the bedding there is nothing "natural" that can absorb sound waves...

Wonder how thick that metal is they use and how heavy the barn parts are... any ideas or guesses?:think:

I've seen "green buildings" that are made exclusively for/into a barn.
Pretty interesting to see recycled materials made useful as stall walls and roofing... 
They still needed a floor of some sort and anchoring but those walls were thick and actually had much forgiving absorption of energy from a kick and such. And it was surprisingly quiet inside during a hard thunderstorm rain... _sure not like my barn roof!! :icon_rolleyes:
_


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

horselovinguy said:


> *
> Just so you realize that most horses will not willingly leave the safety & security of their stall during a fire.*
> Many barns have burned and lives of horses lost...when after the fire was extinguished and investigators went in the stall doors had been opened by those trying to help the horses escape but the horses would not leave....
> 
> ...


You are one of the few people I have seen that understand this. And also that even if you GET a horse out? If it is not secured behind fence or tied off, it will run right back into the flames and die.


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## Luv equins (Oct 10, 2014)

Don't stall and if you do, let them be able to go outside!


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

horselovinguy said:


> *
> Just so you realize that most horses will not willingly leave the safety & security of their stall during a fire.*




:iagree:

I heard a girl (ya'll might know her on YouTube) say if there was a barn fire, she'd run it, open all the doors, and let the horses go out themselves instead of worrying about getting their halters on. I was just watching and thinking...

:x No...and some people didn't believe when I told them this, that horses will stay in their stalls because they feel safer in there. They won't run INTO the fire.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

they are not that bad. thats what 90% of the barns are out here in our 120 summers. it has a coating on it so its not so bad and i think there is a way to insulate them. im wanting to move to northern az and its a fire zone. i will not have a wooden barn. i LOVE them but i just cant do it. i might do a cinder block barn with the metal roof and stalls.


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

KigerQueen said:


> they are not that bad. thats what 90% of the barns are out here in our 120 summers. it has a coating on it so its not so bad and i think there is a way to insulate them. im wanting to move to northern az and its a fire zone. i will not have a wooden barn. i LOVE them but i just cant do it. i might do a cinder block barn with the metal roof and stalls.


 
Here cinder block, concrete (poured), and brick barns are built for hurricane safety first. The bonus is the fire proof factor. People are even moving away from doing traditional wood kickboards or are applying a flame ******ant type paint/ sealer to them. Not 100%, but a heck of a lot better than an all wood barn.
Metal roofs here still have a plywood decking underneath with a waterproof membrane applied in-between the wood and metal due to the high amounts of rain we get. Then you apply insulation and well...But still better than it used to be.

I know of a lady who could not build a new barn because the one on the property was 'historic', so she tried to add as many fire preventatives as she could, including having a hydrant installed in a convenient location.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

im talking the roofs from md barns/metal barns. there is 100% no wood construction in the parns. my fiance used to work at a place that had a barn like that.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

KigerQueen said:


> im talking the roofs from md barns/metal barns. *there is 100% no wood construction in the parns*. my fiance used to work at a place that had a barn like that.


*This is actually not true.
*If this link below is who you refer to...
_http://www.mdbarnmaster.com/why-mdbarnmaster_
According to MD Barns website there *is* laminated plywood_ in every single panel_ with a overlay of 26 gauge metal, probably sheet metal used.
They claim no fire..._sorry,_ if there is wood used there is fire chance although greatly reduced by the construction process.

I've seen those laminated plywood panels encased in steel still swell and absorb moisture breaking the bonds.... 
I'm referring to entry doors and some "fire-proof" doors used in building construction.
A hard kick from a horse or hit from a piece of farm machinery opens up the protective shield or welding process..... 
The barns are beautiful and precaution is taken to reduce the risk of fire...nothing though is fire-proof as what is brought in in materials can be a fire feeder....bedding, hay, grain, tack, blankets, electrical....

_*We all do everything we can to reduce the risk of fire*_...fire-proof and fire-******ant _are different_ same a water-proof and water-repellent are... "0" chance or a chance of occurrence ....

_jmo..._


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Luv equins said:


> Don't stall and if you do, let them be able to go outside!



And you are not understanding that horses do NOT fear fire, they will not run from it, and they will run right back into a fire to get to the safety of their stalls.

Letting them be able to go outside will not save them.


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## Fort fireman (Mar 5, 2011)

KigerQueen said:


> i want a barn like this for that reason. its metal and metal dose not burn. yes things inside can burn, like bedding, tack and feed but the spread rate will be A LOT lower. the stalls are made out of the kick proof and fire proof material as well (same as the rest of the building).


True, metal does not burn. HOWEVER, metal does some funky stuff under a fire load. Steel will expand about an inch per every foot of length at about 800-900 degrees. So if you have a 10 ft steel beam and it gets to 800 degrees it will lengthen about 10 inches. When this happens it stresses everything else which can cause failure. Now 800 degrees is NOT hard to reach in a building fire. Also metal absorb heat alot faster than wood so it reaches those temps quicker by reflecting heat back on the fire. It's a vicious cycle. It also just flat out fails at about 1200-1300 degrees. Want an example of that watch the twin towers come down. Without going into a big long Building construction Firefighting 101 class, lightweight construction be it metal or wood all have fatal flaws when it comes to fire loads. Which is what is built these days. Lets face it, builders and designers base their decisions on building materials on cost and a bare required minimum fire safety.

Barn fire safety- Fire extinguishers and more extinguishers. NO SMOKING and if you see someone with a lit cigerette in your barn hit them with a hose pipe or one of those extinguishers. They will get the message. I like a seperate hay storage. Keep wiring up to date and clean and i think the biggest thing is good house keeping. Dust and and dirt make for problems. Not just fire wise but health wise to.


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## mmcleodk (May 2, 2015)

If you're getting to 8-900 degrees you are approaching flashover conditions, everything inside that barn is dead and there is no reason to go in there as there is no longer anything to rescue.

I'm thinking dousing any lit cigarettes with a hose is a good policy, it seems to deter smoking when you spray people in the face with a hose every time they try to take a drag.


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## Fort fireman (Mar 5, 2011)

mmcleodk said:


> If you're getting to 8-900 degrees you are approaching flashover conditions, everything inside that barn is dead and there is no reason to go in there as there is no longer anything to rescue.
> 
> I'm thinking dousing any lit cigarettes with a hose is a good policy, it seems to deter smoking when you spray people in the face with a hose every time they try to take a drag.


True on the flashover, however with a tall isle way that is common in barns like in the pics, it isn't uncommon to be at the 800 degree point at ceiling level but be fairly tenable at floor level. Or if there is a hay loft with a floor. A lot like an attic fire in a house. Heavy attic involvement and clear in the living space.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

mmcleodk said:


> If you're getting to 8-900 degrees you are approaching flashover conditions, everything inside that barn is dead and there is no reason to go in there as there is no longer anything to rescue.
> 
> I'm thinking dousing any lit cigarettes with a hose is a good policy, it seems to deter smoking when you spray people in the face with a hose every time they try to take a drag.


Trust me, if I ever caught anyone smoking in my barn, they would get more than the spray of a hose! We will not have boarders so only ourselves in the barn. None of us smoke. That isn't something I would even tolerate on the property. 

But I like how you think


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Also, in addition to halters and lead ropes at each stall door, you need some type of cloth so if you have to blindfold one, you won't have to use your shirt.

Used to be gunny sacks handy, but don't see those anymore.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I read through the whole thread and up until Kiger posted I was like "why do people still build barns out of wood?" Out here in Arizona they are pretty much all metal or a composite type like Kiger posted.

Does anyone know why the whole country doesn't go that direction? Is it economics, the weather or ???

Out here, we worry about hot more than cold. Even in Northern Arizona, in the coldest of winters, we don't get as cold as back east or in the northern part of the USA. So I am guessing wood barns must be about insulation from the cold? Or are they cheaper to build or what? 

I've never had a "proper" barn, just a 3-sided run-in shed. But it's all sheet metal........similar to what they use for roofing on houses. The whole forest may burn down, including our house, but I don't worry about the barn. The barn is the most fire-resistant structure we have.

I do know people with bigger barns and they are either all metal or similar to what Kiger posted. Even though that barn may not be 100% metal, a fire should not spread in there like a wood barn. I don't see how any living thing in a wood barn would have a chance. :sad:

Yeah, unfortunately we worry more about forest fires out west, not barn fires. Knock on wood, but I've never even known anyone to have a barn fire. But we do fear forest fires every summer. Had some CLOSE calls.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Palomine said:


> You are one of the few people I have seen that understand this. And also that even if you GET a horse out? If it is not secured behind fence or tied off, it will run right back into the flames and die.


I learned that from the book "Black Beauty" when I was still in elementary school. I thought all horse lovers had Black Beauty as their early education into equine behavior. :hide:


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

You raise some good questions about the materials we use to build our barns with.

I know that $$$$ must come into every single persons wants and needs list. 

Many barns are also older than some of the new techniques and materials available and are not going to be torn down and rebuilt....you can't afford to do that, period.
Building material availability also comes into the equation. 
Till recently not all companies manufactured nor shipped and had assembly in every part of the country forget the world, actually that is still true.
Bottom line is you use what is available in your area and you can afford to do the best job, safest job and as close to what you want as you can afford.
You make yourself a budget, a wish list, a needs list and start from that point....
Then you get realistic when you see how much your dream is truly going to cost and figure out how to pay for that dream to become reality...
Wood barns are not cheap by any means to build and build it right, but some of those prefab deals are more than double the price of wood or concrete. Then add in "can I get this?".....and that for many must dictate what they do.

Just my thought on the subject.

_jmo..._


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

trailhorserider, I agree with horselovinguy on a) the cost and b) the availability of materials. I looked into getting a steel structure for the outside of my barn and when you add the cost of shipping to my area (eastern Canada) and hiring someone to come here to install it (no one nearby), it's just not feasible. An all-metal barn, including stall fronts, is not something I've seen in my part of the world. It would be awfully cold in the winter (we get -35 to -40 CELCIUS). Wood is a better insulator. And one thing we do have in this part of the world is a lot of wood! My husband and I own a 185 acre woodlot which we can harvest anytime for anything we need (there's even old growth forest on it, but we are trying to keep some areas intact). If I were wealthy, I'd have a different barn, but we all have to do the best we can with what we have. What works in one part of the world doesn't necessarily work in another. Forest fires are not uncommon here, but we've never had one anywhere near our area so as long as the inside of the barn is secure and well-maintained, it should be fine. Also, we have a relatively humid climate so things rarely get really dry. The whole purpose of my post is to do my homework as a responsible horse-owner/barn builder and make sure I take necessary precautions. Barn fires that happen around here seem to be mostly caused by human error, not spontaneous combustion!


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## mmcleodk (May 2, 2015)

As was mentioned above the wood structure itself isn't actually the fire hazard in a wood barn. They are generally heavy wood construction and actually quite durable in fires.

Its the contents that are dangerous, straw, hay, ropes, nylon materials etc are all quite flammable.

Metal would not be much better because it is very prone to collapse in fire conditions (due to elongating/warping at high temperatures)

Also the smoke from the burning contents is the most immediately dangerous thing in the fire, it will almost always kill you well before the flames get near you.

Really prevention is your best weapon, the only way you have any kind of hope of saving the horses is if you manage to catch the fire in its incipient stage (when just the initial object/area is effected) and clear out or extinguish it before it spreads.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

trailhorserider said:


> I learned that from the book "Black Beauty" when I was still in elementary school. I thought all horse lovers had Black Beauty as their early education into equine behavior. :hide:



I learned it from my father well before I could read at all. Was maybe 3 or 4 when he told me that.

I learned majority of what I know from him, and from the other horsemen and women I have known throughout my almost 60 years now, as well as years of working horses for a living. 

And sadly, the movie Firestarter, with Drew Barrymore..if you remember had all the horses fleeing from the barn in big rush, which may be why people do not know that now, the sheer numbers of those that don't, is astounding to me.

Old time horsemen knew it, because they had been through barn fires, or knew people who had, and they passed it down to others.

Same thing with small children, they will go hide under a bed in a fire oftentimes...to hide from the monsters, and to seek safety. And many times that is where the firemen find their bodies too.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

The Miles City (MT) Livestock Exchange, a sale barn, burned to the ground yesterday.

The cause was most likely hay stored close to the building and combustion.

I'm sure the people there thought it was fine hay and in a safe location. I really prefer to store hay away from structures for this reason.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Agreed! when i have a barn i plan on keeping hay in a 3 sided metal siding building (with a tarp i can pull down). it will be AWAY from the barn, pastures and my house. it will also be sourinded by gravel and i will alow nothing to grow to close to it. stuff can still happen but sometimes being over carful is a good thing.


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

Yup, hay should be at least 10 feet from the barn if I remember correctly. Personally I'd rather have it a bit farther away than that and as Kiger said with gravel around it. Of course I intend to do a concrete foundation, so I could just expand that out a bit as well.

I'm also not a huge fan of having bedding stored in the stable, but I'm a tiny bit less worried about it than hay since I prefer bagged shavings and pellets. Though if a fire occurred I'd still not want them in there since they would just be fuel.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Didn't see it mentioned anywhere, but at our barn...the main breaker is turned off when the barn is closed up for the night. Unless there's something that needs electricity through the night, that eliminates many potential sources for a fire to start through the night such as a rodent chewing a wire or something expectedly going "fritz" in the night and throwing sparks.

In the brutal cold winter months when there's heat tape on the water taps all the non-essential breakers are turned off leaving power to only the 1 single receptacle that the heat tape is plugged into.


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## clwhizy (Aug 20, 2014)

Kind of off topic...for the 2nd time in a year I've heard of a well known commercial barn (breeding/training) burning down. Although they were able to get a few horses out they did sadly lose some. Both the barns in the last year were uninsured. Is this common?? I have a private barn on my property (just 3 of my own horses) and the structure and contents (including horses) are insured. It really doesn't cost that much extra on our home owner's insurance. Is it more expensive for commercial barns to be insured? I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around someone wouldn't insure such a crucial part of their livelihood.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

clwhizy said:


> Kind of off topic...for the 2nd time in a year I've heard of a well known commercial barn (breeding/training) burning down. Although they were able to get a few horses out they did sadly lose some. Both the barns in the last year were uninsured. Is this common?? I have a private barn on my property (just 3 of my own horses) and the structure and contents (including horses) are insured. It really doesn't cost that much extra on our home owner's insurance. Is it more expensive for commercial barns to be insured? I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around someone wouldn't insure such a crucial part of their livelihood.


_*You are a private entity on your own property, not a business. *
A rider on your homeowners policy covers your possessions and building/contents. 
Do check though about the loss of animal life...

Yes, commercial boarding barn, riding establishment, breeding farm, lesson or hack barn insurance* is* expensive because it is what it is.....
I think you would be surprised to find how many places don't insure.
Some fine print on boarding contracts state they are uninsured and you are responsible to carry your own insurance if you wish.
I agree it is pretty bad business practice to not be insured but many "small" business ventures with high overhead and low profit margin just don't insure...that is across the business industry in anything not just equine liability!

jmo..
_


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I agree clwhizy, that is odd. Especially if it's a commercial barn. 

One of the first things I did before I even started our barn build was call my insurance agent! Turns out we are already insured for outbuildings, but we will probably add insurance on the horses. He mentioned liability - even if your horse isn't that valuable, what if he gets out into the road and causes an accident? And yes, costs for any additional insurance are minimal. 

Now insuring a business would be an entirely different matter, but one would think it would be even more important! What if you have boarders?


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