Ember-Resistant Vent Installation

Four pools of money — and "my house might burn" isn't one of them

Hardening your home is the only home improvement that pays you back through your insurance bill, every single year.

1. Mandatory discounts

Under the "Safer from Wildfires" regulation (California Code of Regulations, Title 10, §2644.9), your carrier must discount for qualifying hardening — required discounts range 4%–40%, with the largest going to the highest-risk homes. The FAIR Plan alone offers up to 16.4% off the wildfire portion of your premium.

2. Escape the FAIR Plan

Carriers are now required to write policies in wildfire areas — and they pick the documented, hardened homes first. Getting back to a standard carrier is often worth thousands per year.

3. State grant money

California's new Safe Homes program (AB 888) will help pay for fire-safe roofs and the 5-foot ember zone for qualifying homeowners. Assessed homes are ready homes when the portal opens.

4. Resale & compliance

Selling in a high fire-hazard zone now requires defensible-space documentation (AB 38) — and the new statewide Zone 0 rule puts ~2 million homes on a hardening clock. Early movers avoid the rush.

Hardening packages

Every package includes the Insurance Discount File™ — dated photos, receipts, an inspection letter, and the completed 12-point checklist. Carriers honor paperwork, not effort. Financing available through Wisetack on every tier.

Bronze — Discount Ready

~$6,000

Zone 0 ember-resistant conversion (0–5 ft)
Ember-resistant (WUI-listed) vent replacement
Fire-rated gutter guards
Combustibles relocated 30+ ft
Insurance Discount File™

Financing available — soft-pull prequalification on the spot, no credit impact. Subject to credit approval; terms vary.

Silver — Hardened Home

~$18,000

Everything in Bronze
Enclosed eaves & noncombustible wall base
Window / shutter upgrades
Noncombustible fence transitions
Zone 1–2 defensible space work

Gold — Certified & Defended

~$40,000

Everything in Silver
IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification path — the standard major carriers are committing to write new policies for
Exterior wildfire sprinkler system
Annual re-certification visit

Honest fine print, up front: discounts apply to the wildfire portion of your premium and vary by carrier filing. In the foothills that's most of your bill. If you're in a low-risk zone or on a surplus-lines carrier, we'll tell you straight what applies and what doesn't — that's the point of the free assessment.

Founded by a 25-year volunteer firefighter

Fred Warder spent 25 years as a lifetime member of a volunteer fire company before building one of the Central Valley's established roofing and home services contractors.

Newly installed ember-resistant vent on a California foothill home — We photograph every vent, before and after, with the product listing — that is what the carrier wants to see.

Why a licensed contractor — not a landscaper

Most of what insurers actually discount is structural: WUI-listed vents, Class A roofing, enclosed eaves, noncombustible wall base, window upgrades. That's licensed-contractor work. Infinite Home Solutions holds B General Contractor and C-39 Roofing licenses (CSLB #1126804) and has served the Central Valley for over a decade.

Serving the Sierra foothill corridor: Auberry · Prather · Tollhouse · Shaver Lake · North Fork · Oakhurst · Coarsegold · Mariposa · and communities north through the foothills.

What "defensible space" actually means

Zone	Distance	What's required
Zone 0 — Ember-resistant	0–5 ft	Nothing combustible: hardscape or gravel, no vegetation or mulch, metal fence transitions. Now California regulation, phasing in for ~2M homes.
Zone 1 — Lean, clean & green	5–30 ft	Spaced plantings, no ladder fuels, tree limbs up 6–10 ft and 10 ft off the roof.
Zone 2 — Reduced fuel	30–100 ft	Thinning, spacing, grass to 4 inches — to 100 ft or your property line. Already law in most foothill areas; CAL FIRE inspects.
The structure	—	Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, eaves, wall base, windows, gutters, deck — where the biggest discounts live.

Questions foothill homeowners ask us

What type of vent is ember resistant?

Look for vents tested to ASTM E2886 and listed by the California State Fire Marshal as WUI products. They use fine mesh or baffles that stop embers and flame while still letting the attic breathe.

Do I need a contractor to install ember-resistant vents?

You can buy WUI-listed vents at some home stores, but sizing and installation matter. The wrong size cuts attic airflow, and gaps around the frame let embers in. A licensed contractor also gives you the documentation insurers ask for.

How many vents does a typical home have?

Most homes have several kinds: eave or soffit vents, gable vents, ridge or roof vents and foundation vents. Every opening is a potential entry point for embers, so we replace them as a set.

What is the ember-resistant zone in California?

The ember-resistant zone, called Zone 0, is the first five feet around your home. Nothing combustible can be there. Ember-resistant vents and Zone 0 clearance work together, because both stop embers at the house.

Do ember-resistant vents lower insurance premiums?

They are one of the mitigation actions California's Safer from Wildfires regulation requires insurers to recognize, so they can count toward a discount. Discounts apply to the wildfire portion of your premium and vary by carrier.

Ember-resistant vents: the cheapest fix that pays you back.