How much time does your family have to escape a fire? The I-Team found out the clock is not on your side if you live in a newly constructed home. The building material in modern homes burns a lot faster. “On average, with new construction, they are failing about 35 to 60 percent faster than conventional stick lumber that was used in the past,” said Lt. Michael Ball of the Milwaukee Fire Department. Ball showed us beams for floor joists used in new homes are often particle board or other less expensive material. In new homes, the plates holding together roof trusses can’t hold up in a fire, Ball said.