Fire Proofing and Your Roof in the San Gabriel Valley

The San Gabriel Mountains create a picturesque scene, whether you’re driving near the Altadena Golf Course or along Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia. Roofing contractors like Thomas Garvey, owner of Garvey Roofing, also keep one eye on the fire danger that is a reality of our life in this part of the San Gabriel Valley.

The Bobcat fire is large, but, fortunately firefighters have worked hard to keep homes from Sierra Madre to Azusa safe.

The brush that it’s consumed built up for about 60 years, according to a description on the government website Incident Information System.

Remember the Station Fire in 2009, burning from La Crescenta to Highway 14 and up to Mount Wilson? Fire scars from that blaze actually slowed the westward movement of the Bobcat Fire.

A word of caution. Fire danger doesn’t only come from flames roaring through the Angeles National Forest.

A backyard grill that’s too close to siding can cause a house fire, too, with flames rushing up the side, embers floating into the soffits and catching fire either on the outside or inside.

Here’s an important note about roofing contractors you may choose around Pasadena, Arcadia or other cities: ask about licensing. Garvey Roofing holds four licenses and one is for roofing installation which includes fire proofing and leaks.

Let’s take a look at roofing and fire proofing.

 

Roofing Material Fire Ratings

 

If you browse through roofing materials at Home Depot you’ll notice fire ratings on the wrapping.

What does it mean?

You’ll typically see Class A stamped on the packaging. But what does that mean?

A good explanation is given on Buildings.com and The science behind fire performance grades for roofing materials.

A class A rating is the highest level of fire resistance, followed by class B and class C. Fire resistant roofing materials aren’t necessarily cutting edge or high tech since “The nature of the surfacing and the slope of the roof greatly affect spread of flame. On very low slope commercial structures, even a glaze coating of pure asphalt may meet Class A flame spread.”

 

Roofing Materials and Fire-Resistant Qualities

It’s obvious that clay and cement tiles are fire resistant. In cities like Arcadia, tile roofs are the only type of outer material that’s permitted on roofs closest to heavily wooded areas like Wilderness Park.

But Garvey Roofing is careful to use underlayment that’s fire resistant, too.

A product like GAF’s Fire-Resistant Underlayment Roll protects against flames spreading across roof decks. GAF notes that it will “help upgrade UL fire classification of almost any roof type” and since it lies flatter than asphalt felt, it will improve the appearance of a roof.

Fire prevention along with concern for energy efficiency show how roofing products have developed. GAF and CertainTeed are leaders in making asphalt shingles that are three-tab and multi-dimensional lifetime shingles.

They’re manufactured with a Class A fire rating with layers of asphalt, UV coating to reflect and not absorb heat and include layers of fiberglass, too.

You can be confident that installing a new roof means you can have fire resistant tiles, asphalt shingles and underlayment.

 

Tips to Reduce Fire Risk Around Your House

Here are simple things you can do to reduce fire danger around your roof and home no matter where you live in the San Gabriel Valley.

Trim branches hanging over or near your roof, especially those pesky Chinese elm trees that grow like weeds

Don’t turn on your grill next to a home with siding or below wooden eaves

Store combustible materials like gasoline for the lawnmower in a fire-resistant can with a tight lid and only keep a minimal amount on hand

Never store old rags in the attic and especially don’t place them near the soffits

Use fire resistant insulation for the attic

 

Call Garvey Roofing

If you’re concerned about your roof’s fire resistance or insulation in your attic, then contact Garvey Roofing. Thomas Garvey, the owner, offers a claim that’s unique in the industry:

Estimates are free and he guarantees all labor and materials for new roofing installations and for roofing repairs.

Whether it’s fire season, rainy season or high temperatures scorching us, Garvey Roofing installs and repairs roofs for all seasons.