Now booking free on-site risk assessments across LA, Ventura & Orange County. No obligation.
Get My Free Risk AssessmentMost homes lost to wildfire ignite from wind-driven embers slipping through standard attic and crawlspace vents, not from the flame front. We install fire and ember safe vents that block embers and seal shut under heat, and we walk every opening on your home with a free on-site risk assessment.
CA Licensed & Insured, CSLB #1139619 · Free on-site risk assessment.
#1
Embers are the number one cause of home loss in a wildfire, per IBHS research.
$2,500 to $10,000
Typical whole-home vent retrofit, based on the 8 to 15 vents on an average California home. Your exact price depends on vent count, brand, and finish.
Free
30-minute on-site risk assessment to start. No obligation.
Why Vents
Wind-driven embers can travel more than a mile ahead of an active flame front. They land on rooftops, in gutters, against fences, and, most dangerously, straight into your attic and crawlspace through standard louvered vents that were designed for airflow, not fire.
Once inside, a single glowing ember can ignite stored belongings, exposed framing, or insulation. The exterior of the home often looks untouched for the first hour. Then it burns from the inside out. This is how most homes are lost in a wildland-urban interface fire.
A fire and ember safe vent replaces that open pathway with a listed assembly: a baffle that blocks windblown embers, a 1/16 inch noncombustible metal mesh, and an intumescent seal that expands under heat and closes the opening. It still meets net free ventilation area requirements when the home is not on fire, and it shuts itself when it is.
California's WUI code, formerly Chapter 7A of the Building Code and now the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (CWUIC) in Title 24 Part 7, requires listed ember-resistant vents on homes inside a Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Insurance carriers increasingly ask for the same before they will renew a wildfire policy or issue a new one.
How It Works
01
A steel baffle and 1/16 inch noncombustible mesh stop windblown embers at the vent face, before they can enter the attic or crawlspace.
02
Under sustained heat, an intumescent strip inside the assembly expands and closes the opening, blocking flame and radiant heat from getting past the wall.
03
In normal conditions the vent still meets the net free ventilation area your attic and crawlspace need. Nothing about your home's airflow changes.
Tiered Options
Listed assemblies tested to ASTM E2886 and E2912. Not just a screen: a baffle, noncombustible mesh, and an intumescent seal that closes under heat. We install listed BrandGuard, Vulcan, and FireStorm vents to manufacturer specification, so the ember-resistance the product is tested for is the ember-resistance your home gets.
On a tighter budget or a shorter timeline? See how ember-resistant mesh compares →
How We Work
Every opening on your home is scoped and priced in writing before we start. No surprises on installation day.
We install listed ember-resistant assemblies to the California WUI code (formerly Chapter 7A, now CWUIC in Title 24 Part 7) and to the manufacturer's specification.
Your free risk assessment includes photos of every vent opening, the listed product we recommend for each, and where each sits on your home.
Trained and fully insured for ladder and roof work, a core part of every vent and attic job. We protect your landscaping and finishes and leave the site cleaner than we found it.
The Vents We Install
Our default premium vent, one of the listed ember-resistant lines we install.
Highest airflow in a WUI vent. Fewest cuts.
Budget-conscious WUI compliance.
Not All Installers Are Equal
Listed, code-compliant vents
Fits the right vent to each opening
Manufacturer approval
Insurance-ready documentation
Knows WUI code and FHSZ rules
Wildfire hardening is the whole business
Recent Work
A selection of ember-resistant vent installs across Los Angeles and Ventura County.
Insurance & California Code
California's WUI code (formerly Chapter 7A, now CWUIC in Title 24 Part 7) requires listed ember-resistant vents on homes in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Retrofits keep older homes compliant when the code catches up to them. California's AB 3074 directs the state to strengthen standards for structure openings, including attic, foundation, and eave vents. The specific non-combustible mesh requirement is set through the building code, Chapter 7A, and the State Fire Marshal, and that is the standard we install to.
Insurance carriers writing California wildfire policies increasingly ask for listed ember-resistant vents. Our free risk assessment shows you exactly where every opening on your home stands today, so you can make informed decisions about hardening.
This is about the house you live in today, not rebuilding one you lost. Hardened vents reduce the most common ignition pathway in a wildfire and are one of the highest-value retrofits per dollar.
Service Areas
Featured Communities
Very High FHSZ at the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains. Woolsey Fire ignition pathways were overwhelmingly windblown embers into attic and foundation vents.
View community guide →Coastal WUI with Santa Ana wind exposure. Older beach and hillside homes carry pre-code louvered vents that are the first path into the attic.
View community guide →The 2025 Palisades Fire re-exposed how quickly ember cast can enter unhardened homes. Vent retrofits are the most direct hardening step for homes still standing.
View community guide →FAQ
If your home sits in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone, yes. California's WUI code (formerly Chapter 7A of the Building Code, now the CWUIC in Title 24 Part 7) requires listed ember-resistant vents on new construction and on many retrofits. Insurance carriers are increasingly asking for the same standard before they will renew or bind a wildfire policy.
CAL FIRE publishes Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for every California city and county. Your home's FHSZ tier (Moderate, High, or Very High) determines which parts of the WUI code apply. On our free on-site risk assessment we confirm your FHSZ, your city's local overlay if any, and which openings on your home require listed assemblies.
All three are listed by the CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal and tested to ASTM E2886. BrandGuard is our default premium vent, built around a patented overlapping baffle. Vulcan has the highest net free ventilation area of the WUI-listed vents we install, useful when a home has fewer vents to work with. FireStorm covers the budget tier and offers balcony and deck vent options that are hard to find elsewhere.
It often does, and it puts you in the room. We cannot promise a specific rate outcome (no contractor can), but carriers writing California wildfire policies increasingly ask for listed ember-resistant vents. Our free risk assessment shows you exactly where every opening on your home stands so you can share clear information with your carrier.
It depends on the home. Some retrofits are whole-home; others focus on the highest-risk openings first (typically attic gable and eave vents, then foundation vents). On our free on-site risk assessment we walk every non-plumbing vent on your home and document a phased plan you can install in one visit or over time.
Guides & Resources
Code
Chapter 7A, now CWUIC in Title 24 Part 7, in plain English. What FHSZ tier triggers listed vents, and how retrofits stay compliant.
Read the guide →Compare
Where full listed assemblies are worth it, and where 1/16 inch corrosion-resistant mesh is the right budget move.
Read the guide →Checklist
Ten questions to ask before you hire. Licensing, listed products, manufacturer approvals, documentation, and clear scope of work.
Read the guide →Free On-Site Risk Assessment
Book a free 30-minute on-site risk assessment. We walk every vent on your home, photograph what we find, and show you exactly where each opening stands. Monday through Saturday, 8am to 6pm.
