CHICAGO (WLS) --

These large open boxes were set up for the I-Team by the Alsip Fire Department. The one on the right is full of older or antique furniture, made of cotton, wool and down.

The room on the left is a typical a home with newer, synthetic furniture made with chemicals like polyurethane and hydro-carbons.

Firefighters and other safety experts lit both rooms at the same time using a candle. In just one minute and thirty seconds, flames raged through the newer furnishings in what firefighters call a "flashover."

The old furniture burned slowly. It takes more than 13 minutes to "flashover."

"The products now-a-days are all synthetic," says Thomas Styczynski, Fire Chief Village of Alsip. "They are hydrocarbons, a solid form of gasoline if you will. They will ignite quicker, they give off different gasses. Besides carbon monoxide, they give off cyanide gases, all those which are toxic to humans."

And it's not just furniture causing faster fires. Research at Underwriter Laboratories in Northbrook has shown that the modern construction materials can put you at a higher risk.

"Lightweight construction uses laminated beams and trusses and under normal circumstances these are great," says contractor and TV show host Ron Hazelton. "But in fire they collapse much sooner than conventional wood."

Hazelton showed the I-Team two examples. The bigger piece of wood is solid and used in older construction. The other is many pieces of wood compressed together, with glue, found in newer homes.

"What happens with solid wood is it begins to burn from the outside in, so the outside may char but the interior of it the structural integrity is there so it tends to fail slowly and you know when it is going to go," Hazleton says. "This burns hotter and more quickly, and when it fails, it fails almost instantaneously."

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Faster Fires: Why your home could burn 8x faster

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Once you've entered into a contract to buy a new home, you definitely want to hire a home inspector. Consider all the things that can cause damage to a home: weather, building materials, wear and tear from previous tenants, pests, time, etc. - and most of it isn't visible to the untrained eye. You wouldn't buy a used car without popping the hood, so why take the gamble with an investment that can be between 20 and 100 times the price?

Real estate brokerage Redfin has offered special insight into home inspection, listing the top five commonly asked questions and answers.

What can a home inspector do for me? Save you a ton of money on the sale.

A typical home inspection takes less time than waiting for the cable guy and costs less than the installation. A visual inspection of the structure and components of a home takes about two to three hours (less for a condo). The inspector will record any issues he finds in a written report, including a checklist and photos, to give you an idea of what kind of repairs you might be looking at.

Depending on the square footage of the home, an inspection costs roughly between $300 and $500. After an inspection, armed with a detailed understanding of the expected repairs, you can further negotiate with the seller, and the inspection report serves as evidence in protecting yourself if you use the 'inspection contingency' (if you want to back out and reclaim the money you just put down).

In other words: It can save you thousands of dollars, and give you a peace of mind.

What does a home inspector look for? Lots.

The inspector examines the interior and exterior of the home, and checks the condition of the plumbing, electrical, heating and ventilation, structural and finished elements throughout. Inspectors often use tools such as thermal imaging and water sensing instruments that can tell if there is a problem with heat or moisture near the surface of a wall or floor.

Most inspectors will also test any appliances included in the sale, like washers and dishwashers to make sure they are in good working order (and don't leak).

What makes a good home inspector? A local one, with knowledge of your home's area.

Read more:
Everything you need to know about getting a home inspection

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