The ranch-style home was one of the most popular styles in the United States from the 1940s to the 1970s. They can vary slightly, but most feature attached garages and picture windows.
The purpose of the ranch home was to meet the demands of our exploding population following World War II, offering young couples and families starter homes at reasonable prices. You will notice in some towns there are entire neighborhoods of these relatively simple homes. They were built very rapidly and at low cost — factors you should keep in mind when responding to a ranch house fire.
Classic Ranch Without Garage
Classic Ranch With Garage
During the construction boom for ranch homes, contractors did not have the dreaded engineered lumber we battle with today, but they did compromise in other areas. Depending on your location, these houses are typically set on slabs, crawl spaces, or full basements, and the walls are constructed of either poured concrete or CMU blocks.
One thing to remember with ranch homes is that there is almost always basement access from the interior. These stairs are typically either centrally located or adjacent to where the garage attaches to the residence.
A common renovation in ranch homes to look out for is when occupiers outgrow their surroundings and convert the garage into living space. The garage is typically 16-24" lower. So anytime you go into a ranch home and see a stair and then a drop-down living area, it is a ranch home garage converted into living space.
On your 360 degree size-up, try to determine if the stair is located in the garage or if a Bilco-type door has been installed as well. Ranch-style homes did not originally come with basement egress windows, and the windows that were provided will not allow a firefighter in full PPE to safely egress. When it comes to framing, the depth-to-span ratio is typically maxed on floor framing members, and normal 16" on center spacing is sometimes spread to 24" on center.
What does this mean to firefighters? Just like the engineered lumber of today, which is failing more rapidly under fire loads, dimensional lumber that is maxed out in its span-to-depth ratio will fail more rapidly as well. Wall framing will most likely be comprised of 2x4 wall studs and two layers of sheetrock, but in many of these ranch homes some rooms were typically finished with wood paneling.
The sheetrock is easy to rapidly breach, but if you have not trained with wood paneling that could definitely be a problem. Be on the lookout for linoleum and Formica finishes as well. Both were used often in kitchens and bathrooms. When it comes to the roof, you can expect very similar conditions to the floor framing. Rafters will often be spaced apart further than the 16" on center, and they will tend to be in the 2x6 range.
The lightest roof I have seen on a ranch home was 2x4 rafters at 2' on center with a ½"x6 plywood ridge. So expect the worst, and take burn time into consideration when sending firefighters to the roof. Be aware that most ranches have a continuous attic space. If a fire gets into the attic space, it can move rapidly through the attic void.
Signs of fire in attic spaces include:
- Smoke or fire from soffit vents
- Smoke or fire from ridge vent
- Smoke or fire from gable end fascia
- Smoke or fire from gable end vents
- Smoke or fire from roof vents, stacks
Watch the following video, which demonstrates a roof collapse during venting operations in Phoenix. I do not believe this was a ranch house, but the construction is very similar.
There are some key features to look out for in ranch homes that can help assist you when fighting fires in your neighborhood:
- Single story
- Long low roof line — often 4:12 to 6:12 roof pitch
- Most common floor plan is the L-shape
- Sliding glass doors and large windows
- Large overhangs and eaves
- Interior access to basement
- Attached garage
- Simple floor plan
Ranch Garage Close Call
Typically, unaltered ranch house plans are all variations of the same concept. If they have a garage it is most often located to one end. The bedrooms — often two to three — are typically located on the opposite side of the garage.
The central portion of the house is the living and dining room, which are usually separated by a cased opening without doors. Closest to the garage is typically the kitchen. Depending on the time of day, you can use this as a general guide to where people may be. In the end it all comes down to size-up and knowing your response area.
Ranch House Close Call – RIT Rescue and Life Saving Efforts on Firefighter in Cardiac Arrest
The most important considerations when dealing with a fire at a ranch house include:
- Consider burn time when sending firefighters on roof
- Consider burn time when sending firefighters into the interior
- Sleeping spaces are often opposite the garage end
- Framing and structure are often built to minimum requirements
- Attached garages pose exposure issues
- Egress from basement is most likely insufficient if original route is compromised
- Continuous attics will contribute to rapid fire spread if compromised