Wind: the first thing a Tehachapi roof has to handle
There's a reason the Tehachapi Pass is lined with wind turbines. Strong, steady wind is part of life up here, and it causes much of the roof damage in windy country: shingles that lift, break their seal and eventually tear off, ridge caps that loosen, and flashing that works free at edges and walls.
On a shingle roof, wind resistance mostly comes down to installation, so it matters which roofer does the work. We follow the manufacturer's installation instructions for high-wind areas, including nail count and placement, starter shingles along the eaves and rakes, and well-secured ridge caps. Shingle products we install include GAF, Owens Corning and Malarkey. If wind has already done some damage, a roof inspection will tell you whether a repair will hold or the roof is due for a roof replacement.
Snow, freezing nights and your roof
Valley roofs mostly fight heat. Tehachapi roofs also deal with cold. When snow melts during the day and refreezes at night, water can back up at the eaves and work under roofing that isn't sealed well. Water that gets into cracks in tile or masonry expands when it freezes and makes them worse. That puts more weight on the parts of a roof you can't see: underlayment, flashing at walls and chimneys, and the seal around every vent.
- Tile roofs: we repair cracked and slipped tiles and do lift-and-relay, replacing worn underlayment and relaying the tiles.
- Shingle roofs: roof replacement and repair. A typical home re-roof takes about three days, weather permitting.
- Flat sections: TPO or a roof coating on low-slope parts of homes.
- Insurance claims: help with your claim after wind or storm damage.
More on residential roofing.
Commercial roofs in the mountains
Commercial and industrial buildings around Tehachapi face the same wind and cold. For flat and metal roofs we offer TPO roofing, spray foam (which adds insulation, a help through cold winters as well as hot summers) and roof coatings including Mule-Hide silicone and acrylic, which can last in some cases up to 20 years depending on the system. For leaks, see commercial roof repair and our commercial roofing page.
Permits and energy code up the hill
Homes and businesses inside Tehachapi city limits are permitted through the City of Tehachapi. Golden Hills, Bear Valley Springs and Stallion Springs are unincorporated, so they go through Kern County. Tehachapi is also in a different California energy climate zone than Bakersfield, so Title 24 cool-roof requirements for a re-roof may not be the same as in the valley. That gets confirmed during permitting, and we pull the permits for our jobs. For background, read reflective roof coatings and Title 24.
An hour away, still on call
Because the drive is about an hour, we schedule estimates ahead and plan around the weather; roofing needs dry conditions. If you have an active leak, call (661) 213-2203 anyway. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, someone is on call after hours, and we tarp roofs in emergencies to help limit damage. Warranty length depends on the roof system, typically 20 years.
Tehachapi roofing FAQ
Do you really come up to Tehachapi?
Yes. We serve all of Kern County, including Tehachapi, Golden Hills, Bear Valley Springs and Stallion Springs. It is about an hour from our Bakersfield office on Highway 58.
How do you install a shingle roof for Tehachapi wind?
We follow the shingle manufacturer’s installation instructions for high-wind areas, including nail count and placement, starter shingles at the eaves and rakes, and secure ridge caps. Installation details matter as much as the shingle itself.
Can you replace a roof in the winter?
Roofing needs dry weather, so we schedule around snow and storms. Winter work is possible during dry stretches. If you have a leak in the meantime, we tarp roofs in emergencies to help limit damage.
Do Title 24 cool-roof rules apply in Tehachapi?
Tehachapi is in a different California energy climate zone than the valley, so the cool-roof requirements for a re-roof can differ from Bakersfield. Whether they apply to your roof is confirmed during permitting, and we pull the permits.
Nearby: we also serve Arvin and Lamont below the pass, plus California City and Ridgecrest to the east. See every town on our service areas page.
Get a free roofing estimate in Tehachapi
Tell us about your home or building and what the roof is doing, and we will set up a time to come up and take a look.
Pioneer Roofing · 6321 Almond Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93308 · (661) 213-2203 · 8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily (Mon–Sun), on call after hours · Pioneer Roofing · Licensed & Insured · CA License #976470
Serving all of Kern County and nearby areas, plus larger projects elsewhere in California.