Homes in the NM wildland-urban interface (WUI) burn from ember entry, not radiant heat. Roof assembly, vent screening, and eave transitions determine whether your house survives — more than defensible-space clearing does. I verify your Class A rating, inventory every ember-entry path, audit defensible space, and produce an insurance-underwriter-ready packet that carriers now increasingly require for renewal in high-hazard NM counties.
Class A assembly verification (UL 790) — covering, underlayment, and deck
Per-vent ember-entry audit (1/8" mesh vs 1/4" mesh vs ember-resistant listed)
Eave, soffit, and rake-edge combustible-material scoring
Roof-to-wall transition and dormer combustibility audit
Defensible-space Zone 0 / 1 / 2 assessment adjacent to structure
Insurance-underwriter-ready packet for carrier renewal or appeal
Full roof walk with assembly documentation (covering + underlayment + deck). UL 790 Class A verification against manufacturer specs and installation photos. Per-vent inventory: soffit, gable, ridge, dormer, plumbing, dryer — with mesh/ember-resistance classification. Eave, fascia, rake edge, and soffit combustible-material scoring. Roof-to-wall transition, dormer, and skylight ember-vulnerability audit. Gutter debris audit (dry pine needles in a gutter is a fire starter). Defensible-space Zone 0 (0–5'), Zone 1 (5–30'), Zone 2 (30–100') assessment around structure. Written scope + underwriter packet: assembly cert letter, per-vent upgrade list, defensible-space photos, prioritized hardening scope.
NM homeowners in high WUI-risk counties: Torrance, Lincoln, Otero, Colfax, Rio Arriba, Los Alamos, Taos, Santa Fe County (parts). Homeowners with insurance non-renewal notice citing wildfire exposure. Homeowners about to close on a WUI property who need pre-purchase risk audit. Homeowners renewing insurance and being asked for a wildfire-hardening documentation packet. Homeowners planning re-roof and wanting Class A assembly + hardened vent scope included in bid.
Verbal Walk + Vent Inventory — $199 Standard Wildfire Hardening Report — $549 Detailed w/ Assembly Cert Letter + Insurance Underwriter Packet + Defensible-Space Assessment — $749 Multi-Building or Community — Custom Most wildfire inspections are $549–$749. Compared to insurance non-renewal or a $400,000 total loss, this is table-stakes documentation for NM WUI homeowners.
Because in a wildland fire, structures burn from embers landing on the roof and entering through vents, gaps, and combustible roof-adjacent materials — not from radiant heat or direct flame contact in most cases. Studies from CalFire and IBHS show homes with Class A roof assemblies + ember-resistant vents survive at 3–5× the rate of Class C roofs with clear defensible space alone. Roof condition is the single biggest structure-survival variable in a NM WUI event.
Class A is the highest UL 790 fire rating — asphalt shingles with Class A rating, concrete or clay tile, standing-seam metal over gypsum, most single-ply membranes, and specific cedar treatments. Untreated cedar shake is Class C (worst). I verify the assembly (not just the covering — underlayment and deck matter too), score any transitions or penetrations that compromise the rating, and give you an assembly certification letter for your insurance carrier.
Standard 1/4" hardware-cloth vent screens let embers straight into your attic — 90+ percent of home-loss ember-entry paths in WUI fires. Code (California Chapter 7A, NM adopts similar in high-hazard counties) wants 1/8" corrosion-resistant mesh minimum, or an ICC-listed ember-resistant vent (VULCAN, Brandguard, O'Hagin). I inventory every vent on your roof and give you a per-vent upgrade scope.
Yes — carriers actively underwriting NM WUI properties (State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, Chubb, non-admitted specialty) are increasingly requiring documented Class A + hardened-vent + defensible-space documentation to renew. My inspection produces an underwriter-ready packet with photos, assembly ID, vent inventory, and defensible-space assessment. Several NM homeowners have used it to get off non-renewal lists or reduce premium loading.
Per-door pricing + rolled-up capex plan.
Get ahead of the buyer's inspector.
Class A + ember-zone audit for WUI.
R-value, ventilation, and cool-roof scoring.
I've watched too many neighbors sign contracts they didn't understand for roofs they didn't need. That stops with a written report they own.