What’s the best roof for your house in the San Gabriel Valley?

Roof in foreground with mountains in background

Rest assured that Garvey Roofing installs roofs to the highest level of fire resistance possible

If you look at homes in the neighborhoods around Pasadena High School, you see a variety of roofing materials: tile, multi-dimensional shingles, and the traditional 3-tab shingles.

You’ll also find some houses with lower-sloped or what we call flat-roof material, too.

Here’s a suggestion—if you’re considering a new roof, drive around your neighborhood or look at places in Sierra Madre, Duarte and Monrovia to see homes that are similar to yours and see what types of roofs they have.

Take time to consider your roof since it’s protecting your home which is a major financial investment.

Look at the color and the material to help narrow down what would potentially look nice on your house.

Let’s dig deeper into what makes the best roof for your home, but it’s also important to note this:

A roof is only as good as the contractor who installed it.

Doesn’t that make sense?

Here’s why choosing the right roofing contractor is key. The best roofing materials must be:

Properly nailed down
Drip edge and flashings must divert rainwater
Ventilated the right way to reduce heat

Local roofing contractor Thomas Garvey, owner of Garvey Roofing, has been in business for over 30 years and holds four roofing licenses and offers a high standard in customer care:

All roofing estimates are free

All labor and materials are guaranteed for peace of mind.

Select a New Roof Installation or Roof Repair

First, decide if you want part of your roof repaired. To do that, let’s have a little detective work. Look at the walls and ceiling. If you see water spots, then your roof has been leaking and it’s not always possible to know from exactly which point.

Garvey Roofing will take a closer look. A roof that has multiple ridges and valleys may need repair in one area.

Check your attic. Can you see water spots on the plywood? The more you see, then the more likely you’re going to need a new roof installed.

On the outside, Garvey Roofing can look at the health of the shingles. The more granules that are missing, or if the shingles are curled, then it’s best to replace the roof—especially if the roof is more than twenty years old.

Some granule loss is common but excessive granule loss with bare patches showing means that the roof is wearing and it’s best to replace it.

Repairs can add life to your roof. These might be as simple as nailing down ridge caps so they don’t blow away in Santa Ana winds or re-doing flashings around vents or fixing drip edge that wasn’t properly installed.

Know Your Goals as a Homeowner

Do you want your roof to have a new appearance to both protect and enhance the overall appearance of your home?

How long will you live in your home and what’s your budget?

If you plan to move within the next five years and your roof is in good condition, then you may benefit from specific repairs. But the longer you plan to own your home, and the older your current roof is, then getting a new roof installed is financially smart.

Here’s why.

There are many attractive roofs that are rated for over thirty years and over fifty years. What do you think will happen to the price of materials and labor in the next five to seven years?

You can expect that prices will continue rising. Pay for a new roof install now and it can remain in good shape for decades.

Do you live near the Angeles National Forest or in another area susceptible to brush fires?

If so, local ordinances, like those in Arcadia, may require you to have tile—and tile itself has a variety of appearances and styles to look like wood shake or southwestern Spanish-style.

Look Closely at Roofing Materials and Your Home

You can choose colors and styles based on the structure of your home.

If you have a historic bungalow in Monrovia, Pasadena, Temple City or other neighborhood then we’ll choose the materials that fit your home’s integrity. There are many attractive multi-dimensional shingles that are possible.

A Spanish-style home with a parapet roof lends itself to lifetime low-slope or flat roof materials and often s-curved Spanish tiles.

A ranch-style home that you might see in San Gabriel or in Glendora can look great with tile resembling wood-shake.

Please note that lightweight tile is available and can be lighter than asphalt shingles. We can also source genuine clay tile if it’s in inventory and if that’s what will work best.

Roofing is an overall part of building science, so it’s important to fit the right materials to your home’s structure.

Ventilation and attic insulation are also important to keep your roof healthy so that it lasts for a maximum amount of time.

Summer sun can degrade shingles and underlayment more than rain, especially if the air doesn’t flow in the attic like it should. Heat seeks out cooler temperatures, so we want to keep the heat outside using reflective materials and insulation inside.

A roof that’s installed well is environmentally sound and keeps your home operating at a nice, energy efficient level.

Sourcing from the Best Roofing Manufacturers

We’re fortunate to have roofing materials that are manufactured to high standards.

But what if you want a custom roof?

Thomas Garvey has designed and installed those—one was for a homeowner who wanted her roof to look like her home from back east. He’s able to pull together quality materials and colors that fit together.

Every roof is customized, actually. And what’s important for homeowners to know in the San Gabriel Valley is that asphalt shingles and tile both have high fire ratings.

GAF/Elk and CertainTeed are the two leading makers of asphalt shingles. GAF has been in the business since the late 1800s and both companies create to the latest standards, using environmentally sound technology and techniques.

Asphalt shingles have layers of asphalt along with fiberglass and UV coatings to reflect heat.

The manufacturing process is sound, and materials are recycled whenever possible.

GAF has manufacturing facilities throughout the United States, including the Central Valley and Fontana.

Garvey Roofing also uses high quality tile makers.

Tile is tested for fire, hail and wind so that the weather doesn’t degrade or harm.

Eagle, in Rialto, is well-known and has developed a strong reputation for low-weight cement tile.

Boral / U.S. Tile is a well-respected tile maker out of Corona.

What about solar roofs?

Garvey Roofing can install solar roofs with partner companies.

However, if you want a solar roof what’s your goal? It will typically take several years or longer to recoup your investment. Note that a solar roof doesn’t automatically add to your home’s overall value.

If you want to save energy then Garvey Roofing can install an energy efficient roof that keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter at a cost that’s much less than today’s solar roofs.

A Roofing System is More than a Roof

Think of a roof as a system and not just what you see on the outside.

Many homeowners can do some basic research and know that roofs use plywood for the decking, underlayment and then the shingles or tile is placed on top.

But Thomas Garvey uses plywood that maintains its shape and won’t easily buckle over the years. The underlayment is the portion of the roof that creates a waterproof covering. Garvey Roofing can also install a reflective underlayment to send the sun’s rays back into the atmosphere.

Building in the right ventilation is key. That’s based on three principles of intake, airflow and exhaust.

Don’t forget attic insulation, a product that Garvey Roofing provides. Replace attic insulation when it becomes compressed.

Garvey Roofing’s Quality

Quality is key and so is choosing the right installer. Thomas has said that one way he measures success is that, “when it rains, my phone doesn’t ring.”

Garvey Roofing follows all local city codes, holds four roofing and roofing-related licenses, including a general contractor’s license. Every roof install meets or exceed manufacturer guidelines and customer properties are cared for during the removal, installation and clean-up process.