Cool Roof Shingle Replacement In Northridge, CA

This Northridge home, about 1,200 square feet and single-story, had a very old roof. We tore it off and did a full roof replacement with an upgraded Owens Corning system, topped with Shasta White cool roof shingles. Owens Corning rates Shasta White at SRI 29, the highest of any shingle in its Cool Roof Collection.

What Went Into This Northridge Cool Roof Shingle Replacement

A shingle roof is a system, not just the layer you see. Here's what went on, from the deck up:

• Titanium UDL50 underlayment across the whole deck. Underlayment is the waterproof layer under the shingles, and the deck is the plywood base the roof sits on. It's Owens Corning's heavy-duty synthetic underlayment, much lighter and tougher than old-school felt.
• Metal valleys where slopes meet. A valley is the inside corner between two roof slopes, and it carries more water than any other part of the roof, so we line it with metal.
• Titanium PSU30 at every pipe, vent and valley. It's a high-temperature, self-adhered underlayment, meaning a rubberized sheet that sticks straight to the deck and seals around nails,, and those are the spots where shingle roofs usually start to leak.
• TruDefinition Duration COOL shingles in Shasta White, with matching hip and ridge caps (the folded shingles that cover the peaks where slopes meet). Duration shingles use Owens Corning's SureNail nailing strip and carry its limited lifetime warranty and 130-mph wind resistance limited warranty, per the Duration COOL brochure (see the warranty for full terms).

The extra layer at the penetrations (anything that pokes through the roof, like pipes and vents) is the part homeowners never see, and the part that matters most in year fifteen. Flashing (the metal or rubber collars that seal around pipes and vents) and sealant age faster than the shingles do. A self-adhered membrane underneath gives water a second wall to get past.

What Makes Shasta White A Cool Roof Shingle?

A cool roof shingle reflects more sunlight and sheds absorbed heat faster than a standard shingle, so the roof and the attic under it stay cooler. Shasta White does this better than any other color Owens Corning makes, with an independently rated SRI of 29.

Owens Corning's Cool Roof Collection brochure lists Shasta White at a solar reflectance of 0.29 (it bounces back 29% of the sun's energy), a thermal emittance of 0.87 (how quickly it sheds the heat it does absorb) and an SRI of 29. Those numbers come from the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), the independent body that rates cool roofing products in California (CRRC product ID 0890-0008). Owens Corning says the Duration COOL colors meet the prescriptive cool roof requirements of California's Title 24, Part 6 energy code, the state rules that set minimum energy efficiency for buildings.

That 29 is the top number in the collection's rating table. The next-best colors in the same table come in at 24, and the darker COOL Plus colors range from 20 to 23. So if you want the coolest shingle Owens Corning makes, Shasta White is the color.

Source: Owens Corning Cool Roof Collection brochure (CRRC-rated values).

Does Northridge Require A Cool Roof?

Yes, for most re-roofs. Northridge is part of the City of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Green Building Code requires cool roofing on new homes and re-roofs. According to the Cool Roof Rating Council's summary of the LA code, a steep-slope residential roof like this one needs an SRI of at least 20.

A low-slope roof (2:12 or flatter, meaning it rises 2 inches or less for every 12 inches across) needs an SRI of 78, which is why flat roofs in LA are usually white or light gray. Shasta White's 29 clears the steep-slope bar with room to spare.

The details depend on the project, and codes get updated. Check with LADBS or ask us during the estimate. We'll tell you what your roof needs before you pick a color.

Why A Light Roof Makes Sense In The West Valley

West Valley summers run hot, and a single-story house has nothing between the roof and the living space but the attic. A roof that soaks up less sun keeps that attic cooler. How much that saves on cooling depends on insulation, ventilation and the AC, so we don't promise a number. But on a single-story house in the West Valley, it's the kind of upgrade you feel.

There's a look trade-off. White shingles read bright, especially on a low ranch-style roofline like this one. Against white stucco and green trim, it came out clean and crisp. If you'd rather go darker, the COOL Plus colors still meet the 20 SRI mark.

Thinking About A Cool Roof?

We install cool roof shingles and do full roof replacements across the San Fernando Valley, including Northridge and nearby cities like Granada Hills and Reseda. See our shingle roofing options or book a free estimate, and we'll bring color samples to the roof.