Roofing built for San Fernando Valley heat
Valley roofs work harder than roofs near the coast. Long, hot summers dry out shingles, cook attics and crack sealants, and much of the housing here is post-war shingle and flat-roofed apartment buildings now due for replacement.
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- Heat-ready roofs
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We repair and replace roofs across the San Fernando Valley, from Burbank and Sherman Oaks to Van Nuys, Encino and Winnetka. Most valley jobs are shingle re-roofs on 1950s and 1960s homes, flat roofs on apartment buildings, and attic ventilation or cool-roof upgrades that help homes cope with the valley's summer heat.
Ranch houses, apartment roofs and summer heat
The valley filled in quickly after World War II, and its ranch houses and tract homes are mostly composition shingle at low to moderate pitches. Apartment buildings along the boulevards usually have flat built-up or single-ply roofs behind parapets, and many of both are now on their second or third roof.
Heat is the valley's main roof problem. Hot attics bake shingles from below while the sun works on them from above, so a re-roof here should include a look at attic ventilation, a cool-rated product where it applies and, on many homes, a radiant barrier.
Woodland Hills recorded 121 degrees on July 22, 2006, the highest official temperature in Los Angeles County, and valley summers routinely run far hotter than the coast. Most of the valley sits in an inland climate zone under the state energy code, where cool-roof rules apply to many re-roofs. A reflective roof and a vented attic keep heat out of the rooms below and help shingles last.
The jobs that keep valley roofs going
Shingle Roof Repair in San Fernando Valley
Curled, cracked and blown-off shingles on sun-baked south and west slopes.
Ridge vent installation
Ridge and soffit venting that lets hot attics breathe.
TPO single-ply installation
Reflective single-ply on apartment and commercial flat roofs.
Roof decking replacement
Full tear-offs with cool-rated shingles and the City of Los Angeles permit.
Mostly City of Los Angeles, with a few exceptions
Most of the San Fernando Valley is part of the City of Los Angeles, so re-roof permits come from LADBS, the same office as in El Sereno. Burbank and San Fernando are separate cities with their own building departments, and we file there when the address calls for it.
Hillside neighborhoods along the Santa Monica Mountains on the valley's south edge sit in fire zones, where a Class A roof assembly and ember-resistant vents are part of the job.
For more on this, see flat roof costs in Los Angeles.
Other areas we cover close by
Burbank
Class A hillside roofs and ranch-house re-roofs in the flats.
Los Angeles County
The central county, from the Westside to the San Gabriel Valley.
Pacific Palisades
Class A roofs for rebuilds and careful repairs on surviving homes.
Mount Washington
Steep-lot re-roofs and fire-aware hillside roofs.
San Fernando Valley roofing questions
Short answers for homeowners and owners in San Fernando Valley.
Other ways to reach usFrom Burbank and Sherman Oaks west through Van Nuys and Encino to Winnetka and Chatsworth. Call with your address and we'll confirm.
Yes. A cool-rated roof reflects more sunlight, which lowers attic temperatures and the heat reaching the rooms below.
Sometimes ventilation alone fixes heat problems and early shingle wear. We check the attic before recommending a re-roof.
Yes, including built-up, torch down and single-ply flat roofs on apartment buildings.
