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Ember-Resistant Vent Retrofitting

Your Home Wasn't Built for Modern Wildfires.

Wind carried embers are one of the leading causes of home ignition during wildfires, often entering through outdated attic and crawl space vents long before flames reach the property.

Ember resistant vent upgrades are a simple and cost effective way to help protect your home, improve wildfire readiness, and take proactive steps before fire season begins.

Call (805) 852-1940Free Risk AssessmentSee How We Work
Close-up of an ember-resistant gable vent

8–15

Vents on a typical CA single-family home

#1

Cause of home ignition in WUI fires (per IBHS)

1/8"

The maximum mesh size that blocks embers (corrosion-resistant metal, never plastic)

ATTICEXTERIOR

Ember strike → Baffle deflects → Intumescent seal closes

What We Retrofit on Your Home.

Every non-plumbing vent on your home gets either a listed ember-resistant unit or 1/8" corrosion-resistant metal mesh, whichever the WPH standard prescribes for that opening.

  • Roof vents — ridge, off-ridge, and through-roof
  • Attic gable-end vents
  • Attic eave and soffit vents (open eave or boxed soffit)
  • Foundation and crawlspace vents
  • Dryer and central-vacuum exhaust vents (louver inspected, never meshed)
  • Plumbing vents excluded — the WPH standard does not require these to be retrofitted

Manufacturers we install include BrandGuard (certified installer), Vulcan, and O'Hagin. Specs and finishes vary by opening — we match the right listed product to each location.

Premium

Listed flame- and ember-resistant vent assembly, sealed per manufacturer spec. Recommended.

Mesh retrofit

1/8" corrosion-resistant metal mesh fastened over the existing opening. Code-compliant for the WPH standard. Faster, lower cost.

BrandGuard Vents Certified Installer

A Manufacturer-Certified Install

Certified BrandGuard Vents Installer

EmberSafe Home is a certified installer of BrandGuard Vents — the ember-resistant, fire-rated vents engineered with a patented overlapping baffle that blocks windblown embers while keeping the airflow your attic and crawlspace need. Certified installation means each vent is fitted to the manufacturer's spec, so the ember-resistance the product is tested for is the ember-resistance your home actually gets. A vent installed wrong protects no one.

  • Listed by the CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal
  • Tested to ASTM E2886 (ember intrusion) and ASTM E2912 (flame)
  • WUI-rated assemblies for gable, soffit, eave, and foundation openings

We also install Vulcan and O'Hagin assemblies. We match the right listed product to each opening on your home.

This work meets the following compliance standards:

  • ASTM E2886
  • CBC Chapter 7A
  • ASTM E119 1-hr
  • ASTM E2668/2912
  • Cal Fire approved
  • CA BML listed
  • SB-721
  • SB-326

How We Retrofit Your Vents.

  1. Inspection

    Exterior-only walkthrough. We photograph every vent, gutter line, fence segment, and the five feet around your foundation. No entry to your home required.

  2. Risk Report

    An EmberSafe Inspection Report flagging the openings most likely to fail in an ember storm, with photos, locations, and a prioritized retrofit plan.

  3. Plan & Permits

    We scope the work, pull required permits, and schedule around fire season.

  4. Retrofit

    Certified install. Vent assemblies, gutter guards, Zone 0 hardening — whatever your home needs, in the order that protects you fastest.

  5. Documentation

    Before/after photos, materials list, and an insurance-ready summary. Yours to share with whoever you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions.

How long does a typical vent retrofit take?
A typical California single-family home has 8 to 15 vents. Most jobs run two technicians, one truck, half a day to a full day. We work from the outside — interior access isn't required for vent retrofits.
Do I have to be home for the work?
No. We need access to the exterior of the home, including the crawlspace if your foundation vents are there. Many of our jobs run with the homeowner at work and a written walkthrough at the end.
Will retrofitted vents help with my insurance?
Documented vent retrofits are one of the most commonly recognized items in California's Safer from Wildfires discount program. We provide a photo-documented before/after report and a WPH-aligned compliance letter you can share with your carrier or broker on your own terms. Discount decisions belong to the carrier; we don't guarantee any specific outcome.
Do you retrofit only some of the vents, or all of them?
For the work to qualify under the WPH standard, every non-plumbing vent on the home has to be either replaced with a listed ember-resistant unit or covered with 1/8" corrosion-resistant metal mesh. We scope, quote, and install on that basis. Partial retrofits don't qualify for the WPH compliance letter.
What's the difference between a Premium retrofit and a Mesh retrofit?
Premium replaces the entire vent assembly with a listed flame- and ember-resistant unit (Vulcan, BrandGuard, O'Hagin, or equivalent). It looks intentional, photographs well for your records, and is what most homeowners choose when the budget allows. Mesh retrofit fastens 1/8" corrosion-resistant metal mesh over the existing opening — faster and lower cost, compliant for the WPH standard, but visibly a retrofit. We can mix the two on the same home to fit the budget.
What happens to my dryer vent?
Dryer and central-vacuum exhaust vents are inspected for a functional flapper/louver and left unscreened — meshing a dryer vent creates a lint fire hazard. The WPH standard explicitly excludes plumbing vents and recognizes the lint constraint on exhaust vents. Our compliance letter notes both.
What does "certified BrandGuard installer" actually mean for me?
It means our crew is trained and approved to install BrandGuard ember-resistant vents to the manufacturer's specification. The vents are listed by the CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal and tested to ASTM E2886 and E2912. Certified installation is what makes the tested ember-resistance hold up in the field — the rating only counts if the vent is fitted correctly. We also install Vulcan and O'Hagin and match the right listed product to each opening.

Ready when you are.

Start with a Free Vent Inspection.

30-minute exterior walkthrough. We count and photograph every vent, score them against the WPH standard, and send you an EmberSafe Inspection Report — no obligation.

Call (805) 852-1940Free Risk Assessment