Asphalt Shingle Roofing in Los Angeles
Help choosing asphalt shingles that meet Los Angeles fire, wind, and cool roof rules, installed by a licensed, bonded, and insured roofer. Estimates are free.
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Choosing Asphalt Shingle Roofing for a Los Angeles Home
Asphalt shingle roofing covers a range of products, and the one you choose decides how the roof looks, how it holds up in Santa Ana winds, and whether it meets California’s fire and cool roof rules. This page explains the shingle styles and the ratings to check before you pick one for a Los Angeles home.
Overhead Roofing installs asphalt shingles to each manufacturer’s installation instructions on homes across Los Angeles County. The photo shows the edge of a new gray shingle roof on our Covina project.
The steps of the job itself, from tear-off to final inspection, are on our shingle roof installation page. This page is about the product: which shingle, which color, and which ratings.
Overhead Roofing is an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and a CertainTeed ShingleMaster credentialed roofing company. Ask us which manufacturer warranty applies to the shingle line you choose.
Aged reflectance 0.25 (sloped)
ASTM D3462 (Class A minimum)
ASTM D7158 (CRC R905.2.4.1)
CSLB #1119699 (C-39)
3-Tab, Architectural, and Designer Asphalt Shingles
An asphalt shingle is a fiberglass mat coated with asphalt and topped with mineral granules, which shield the asphalt from the sun. Shingles come in three main styles:
| Style | How it is built | How it looks on the roof |
|---|---|---|
| 3-tab | One flat layer, cut into three tabs along the bottom edge | Even rows with a flat, uniform pattern |
| Architectural (laminated) | Two or more layers bonded together, so it is thicker | A dimensional, uneven pattern with shadow lines |
| Designer (luxury) | Heavier laminated shingles, often cut in special shapes | Made to resemble slate or wood shake |
Product lines differ by manufacturer. Check each product’s data sheet for its weight and ratings.
Whichever style you choose, check that it meets ASTM D3462, the U.S. product standard for asphalt shingles. If you are weighing architectural shingles in Los Angeles against 3-tab, our comparison of architectural vs. 3-tab shingles covers the differences side by side.
Cool Roof Shingles and California's Title 24 Rules
Title 24, Part 6 (California’s Energy Code) sets a cool roof requirement for any reroof that covers over 50 percent of a home’s roof area. For steep-slope roofs in climate zones 4 and 8 to 15, the shingle needs a Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) label showing an aged solar reflectance of 0.20 or higher and a thermal emittance of 0.75 or higher, or a Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of 16 or higher. The code also allows alternatives, such as R-38 attic insulation.
Where you live decides which rule applies:
- Most of the inland basin and the valleys are in zones 8 and 9, including Downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, Whittier, Pomona, Downey, and Inglewood, so the state rule applies.
- Coastal cities in zone 6, such as Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Torrance, fall outside the state’s sloped-roof requirement.
- The City of Los Angeles has its own ordinance for every zone, so a home in Venice (zone 6) still needs a cool roof product when more than half the roof is replaced. Its minimums for sloped roofs on low-rise homes are higher: aged solar reflectance 0.25 and thermal emittance 0.85, or an SRI of 20.
Climate zone lines do not follow city limits, so check the exact address with the Energy Commission’s climate zone tool. Our guide to California cool roof requirements goes through the exceptions one by one.
Class A Fire Ratings for Asphalt Shingles
Roof coverings are rated Class A, B, or C under standard fire tests (ASTM E108 or UL 790), and Class A holds up against the most severe test exposure. CAL FIRE lists asphalt shingles among the common Class A roof coverings, and shingles made to ASTM D3462 carry at least a Class A fire rating.
That rating applies to the shingle installed as tested, with the underlayment and deck named in its listing. California’s Wildland-Urban Interface Code calls for a Class A assembly when a roof is replaced in one of the fire hazard severity zones that code covers (every Very High zone is one of them), and the assembly has to be installed as its listing describes. Before ordering, we check the shingle’s Class A listing against the zone for your address.
Call (877) 557-7778 any time, or use the form below. Office hours are Sunday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wind-Rated Shingles for Santa Ana Conditions
Shingles carry wind ratings from two lab tests, and the California Residential Code ties the rating required to the design wind speed at the house.
ASTM D7158: Class D, G, or H
This test measures how well a sealed shingle resists uplift. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Class D, G, and H shingles are rated for basic wind speeds of 115, 150, and 190 mph. The California Residential Code uses this test as its main wind standard for asphalt shingles.
ASTM D3161: Class A, D, or F
This older test blows air across installed shingles with a fan. NRCA lists Class A, D, and F as resisting wind speeds of 60, 90, and 110 mph, and Class F is the top class in this test. The code accepts D3161 classes as an alternative, with Class F the only D3161 class allowed at 129 mph and above.
What the code requires
The code’s table sets the minimum class by design wind speed. Where the ultimate design wind speed is 116 mph or less, D7158 Class D, G, or H (or D3161 Class A, D, or F) is acceptable. At 129 mph and up, it calls for D7158 Class G or H (or D3161 Class F), and above 155 mph only D7158 Class H or D3161 Class F qualifies. Your building department can confirm the design wind speed for your address.
Choosing above the minimum
Santa Ana winds speed up where mountain passes and canyons channel them, so homes near canyon mouths can see stronger gusts than much of the basin. On those homes, a shingle with a higher wind class than the code minimum adds margin. Any wind rating assumes the shingle is installed to the manufacturer’s instructions, including its nail count and placement.
Shingle Color, HOA Approval, and Historic Districts
Color affects more than looks. Darker shingles absorb more of the sun’s heat, and in much of the county the color you choose also has to meet the cool roof minimums above. View full-size samples on the roof in daylight, because a color can look quite different at roof height than on a small chip.
If you live in a homeowners association, get written approval of the color and style before the shingles are ordered. California law limits what an HOA can demand. Under Civil Code §4720, an association cannot require a roof that violates the state’s roof fire safety law, and inside a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone its rules must allow at least one type of fire-retardant roof covering that meets that law. Historic districts can set their own rules on material and color. Our guide to HOA roofing guidelines in Los Angeles covers the approval process.
What the Manufacturer's Installation Instructions Control
Every asphalt shingle roof installation starts with the manufacturer’s printed instructions, and California’s codes refer to them. The residential code calls for the number of fasteners the manufacturer requires, never fewer than four per strip shingle. The instructions also set:
- The lowest roof slope the shingle is approved for (the code minimum is 2:12, and slopes under 4:12 need two underlayment layers)
- The nail type, location, and count, including any high-wind nailing pattern
- The underlayment, starter strip, and ridge cap products to use with the shingle
- The attic ventilation the roof needs
- The conditions that call for hand-sealing, such as cold or windy weather
Our Reviews
Compare Shingle Options for Your Home
Send us your address, photos of the house and roof, and any HOA color rules. We’ll check your climate zone, fire zone, and wind exposure, and give you a free written estimate with shingle options that meet them. Call (877) 557-7778.
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Please fill out the form below, or call: (877) 557-7778
Please fill out the form below, or call:
(877) 557-7778
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Asphalt Shingle Roofing Questions
Are asphalt shingles good for hot weather in Los Angeles?
They can be, with the right product and a well-vented attic. Heat and sun age the asphalt, so the slopes facing the afternoon sun usually wear out first. A cool-rated shingle reflects more of the sun’s energy, which keeps the roof surface cooler, and balanced attic ventilation lets heat escape from below. Our post on shingles in high-heat ZIP codes covers what to avoid.
Do cool roof shingles have to be white?
No. Cool roof shingles are rated by the CRRC on how much sunlight they reflect and how well they release heat, not on color alone. The U.S. Department of Energy lists cool-colored granule shingles among its cool roof options, so cool-rated products come in colors other than white. Check the CRRC rating on the product label against the minimums for your address.
Are all asphalt shingles Class A?
Shingles made to ASTM D3462, the U.S. product standard, carry at least a Class A fire rating, but the rating covers the shingle installed with the underlayment and deck it was tested with. If your home is in one of the fire hazard severity zones the wildfire code covers, the permit requires a Class A assembly, so we confirm the product’s listing and install the underlayment it names.
Should I choose 3-tab or architectural shingles?
It depends on the look you want and your budget. Architectural shingles are thicker and laminated, with a dimensional pattern, while 3-tab shingles are a single flat layer with an even pattern. On a full replacement either can work, as long as the product carries the fire, wind, and cool roof ratings your address needs. If you are only patching an existing roof, the new shingles should match the style already there.
How much do asphalt shingles cost?
The shingle is only part of what asphalt shingle roofing costs. Designer shingles usually cost the most and 3-tab the least, but roof size and pitch, tear-off, decking repairs, flashing, ventilation, and the permit move the total as much as the product does. We price your roof after inspecting it, the estimate is free, and our roof replacement cost guide collects price ranges from public sources.
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