ALTADENA, Calif. — Specialized California homebuilder Metricon Homes has launched Firesafe Home, a design-forward, fire-resistant home and ADU solution engineered to withstand the challenges posed by wildfires and other climate disasters.

Homeowners across California are facing unprecedented challenges securing affordable home insurance as climate-related disasters intensify. This growing insurance crisis has created a perfect storm of policy cancellations, skyrocketing premiums, and inadequate coverage. For many homeowners, finding and maintaining adequate insurance protection has become increasingly difficult, expensive, and in some cases, nearly impossible.

"Our mission is to protect families from these wildfires and build homes that are more insurable," said Don Ganguly, CEO of Metricon Homes. "The Firesafe Home combines cold–formed steel framing, Class  A roofing, fire-rated insulation, concrete siding, tempered glass windows, ember–resistant vents, and defensible landscaping—all fast-tracked through local permitting. Insurance companies are increasingly requiring these features as a requirement in many zones." 

The advantage of cold-formed steel construction:

• Maintains structural integrity under extreme heat conditions.
• Resistant to warping, shrinking, splitting, and rot that can compromise fire barriers.
• Immune to termite damage that often weakens wood's structural integrity.
• Maintains precise dimensions that ensure fire-stopping measures remain intact.
• Precision manufacturing ensures tight-fitting assemblies that resist flame penetration.
• Consistent performance in all climate conditions.

The first Firesafe homes and ADU models are now available in many California cities, including Altadena and Pacific Palisades, where fires consumed much of the community earlier this year. Homeowners are being supported by a design and estimation service so that they can optimize their budget based on the design choices that they make.