How to Harden
Your Home

Fortify Your Home Against Wildfire Risks

Home hardening involves upgrading your home with fire-resistant materials and designs to protect it from flames, embers, and radiant heat during a wildfire. You can significantly reduce the likelihood of your home igniting by addressing vulnerabilities such as roofs, vents, siding, and windows.

FACT

Implementing home hardening measures, such as using fire-resistant building materials and creating defensible space, can significantly reduce the risk of wildfire damage. For instance, homes built to California's enhanced fire-resistant standards after 2008 were more likely to survive wildfires; during the 2018 Camp Fire, 51% of homes constructed after 2008 were undamaged, compared to only 18% of homes built before 2008.

What is Home Hardening?

Home hardening focuses on making your home more resistant to the impacts of wildfires. Unlike defensible space, which addresses the area surrounding your home, home hardening ensures that your structure itself can withstand embers, heat, and flames, which are the primary causes of home loss during wildfires.

Benefits of Home Hardening

  • Protects Against Embers: Prevents embers, the leading cause of home ignitions, from entering vulnerable openings.

  • Reduces Heat Damage: Fire-resistant materials can withstand high temperatures, reducing the risk of ignition.

  • Complements Defensible Space: Home hardening provides a comprehensive wildfire defense strategy when combined with defensible space.

  • Increases Safety: Provides peace of mind, knowing your home is better protected against wildfire threats.

Request a Defensible Space and Home Hardening Assessment

Unsure where to start? Schedule a combined Defensible Space and Home Hardening Assessment with our experts. We’ll evaluate your property’s wildfire vulnerabilities and provide tailored recommendations to improve both the surrounding space and your home’s defenses.

What’s Included:

  • Defensible Space Evaluation: Review of vegetation, spacing, and maintenance in all zones around your home.

  • Home Hardening Inspection: Assessment of critical areas such as roofing, siding, vents, windows, and decks.

  • Personalized Action Plan: Custom suggestions for creating and maintaining defensible space and upgrading your home with fire-resistant materials.

  • Integrated Approach: Guidance on how to combine defensible space strategies with home hardening for maximum wildfire protection.

Take the first step toward making your property wildfire-resilient. Let our experts help you protect what matters most!

Home Hardening Videos

Learn more about fortifying your home with these educational videos:

Home Hardening Materials and Booklets

Equip yourself with the right tools and information for wildfire prevention:

Enhance your home's resilience against wildfires with these free resources:

  • Home Hardening Checklist
    A comprehensive guide to assess and improve your home's defenses against wildfires.
    Take the Self-Assessment

  • Home Retrofit
    Detailed information on materials that can enhance your home's fire resistance.
    Download

  • Low-Cost Ways to Harden Your Home
    Budget friendly practices to prepare your home for wildfire threats.
    View the list

  • Ready for Wildfire Guide
    An all-encompassing manual covering wildfire preparedness, including evacuation planning and home hardening tips.
    Read the guide

For additional resources and information, visit the Ready for Wildfire website.

Strengthen Your Home Today

Home hardening is a critical step in protecting your property from wildfires. Take action now to safeguard your home and enhance your community’s resilience.