Photo courtesy Westlake Royal Building Products
Enhance Your Home’s Wildfire Protection with Superior Roofing Solutions
Lab tests often rate many roofing products as Class A fire resistant – the top industry standard. However, real-world wildfires reveal which roofs truly protect your home when disaster strikes.
Real-World Wildfire Performance
During the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego, extreme winds ripped away wood shakes, asphalt shingles, and even some concrete and clay tiles. With the roofing compromised, exposed wood decks quickly became fuel for advancing flames and flying embers—a scenario echoed in recent wildfires across the Palisades and Los Angeles. Heavy embers from falling tree limbs or entire trees can cause significant damage, especially when brittle materials like clay and concrete tiles shatter under stress, allowing fire to infiltrate your home.
Meeting Building Code Standards
Building codes require roofing products to pass rigorous 80 mph wind tests. Despite this, many roofing materials fall short of these standards yet are still installed under a “grandfather” clause. In contrast, during the Cedar Fire, homes equipped with steel roofs fared far better. Stone coated steel roofs, in particular, resisted 60-80 mph winds—and have even withstood hurricane winds up to 145 mph. With their exceptional durability, flames and embers simply cannot burn through these robust roofing systems.
California Roofs Built to Last
The type of roofing material significantly influences fire spread and the ability of firefighters to contain it. For example, when a kitchen fire broke out at the Silber family’s home in Cypress, California, their newly installed Unified Steel Stone-Coated Metal roof, effectively contained the blaze to one area. The fire department was able to extinguish the flames within 20 minutes of arrival, thanks to the roof’s superior design and fire-resistant properties.
In contrast, flammable or overly heavy roofing materials can lead to premature roof collapse and inadequate fire containment. For maximum safety and performance, opt for stone coated steel or other high-quality metal roofs that deliver both fire resistance and structural integrity.
Explore Premium Roofing Solutions
Discover our range of fire-resistant roofing products and California metal roofs designed to stand up to the most extreme wildfire conditions. Call us today at (800) 766-8000 to learn more about our roofing options and flexible financing plans for residential roofing projects in California. Additionally, explore our solar-powered systems from Cira Energy to help reduce your utility bills while enhancing your home’s energy efficiency.
Secure your home against wildfires with roofing solutions engineered for durability, safety, and performance. Upgrade to a roof that truly protects your investment in the face of nature’s fiercest challenges.
