Patio Covers in Lancaster, CA

Patio Covers in Lancaster have to share the sun with the roof. In March 2013, Lancaster became the first city in the United States to require solar panels on all new homes, a rule that took effect in January 2014, and the city has set a goal of producing more clean energy than it consumes. Because new homes built since 2014 have had to include solar, many houses here have arrays on the roof, sometimes right above where a patio cover would attach. Before we draw anything, we look at where your panels sit, how the sun crosses the yard and where a cover can go without casting shade on them.

Ways to keep panels and patio working together

• Attach the cover below the roof edge with a low-slope roof so it stays out of the array's sun path
• Use a freestanding pergola set away from the house when the back wall is crowded
• Pick a louvered roof that can be opened when you want light on the patio and closed for midday shade
• Run gutters and downspouts so they do not interfere with conduit or equipment on the wall

Western Mojave weather

Lancaster sits at about 2,359 feet in the Antelope Valley, in the western Mojave Desert, with a semi-arid climate that borders on arid. Mean daily highs reach 97.6 degrees in July and 97.8 in August, and the record high is 115 degrees, set June 30, 2013. Winter brings about 68 mornings a year at or below freezing, a record low of 2 degrees on December 24, 1984, and an average of about 2 inches of snow a year. In January 1979, 23.9 inches fell. Snow here is rare, but a cover's roof panels and spans should still be chosen for the loads on the approved plans, not just for looks.

Matching the cover to how you use the yard

A covered dining area off the kitchen does well with an insulated aluminum roof, which holds back the heat that would otherwise radiate down on a July afternoon. A garden path or play area may only need lattice, which cuts the glare while letting plants get light. Owners who want both often split the space: solid over the table, lattice over the edges. Wood covers are an option where rules allow, though the dry air and strong sun mean more upkeep on exposed finishes than in coastal towns.

Tracts from the 1980s onward

Lancaster's population has roughly tripled since the early 1980s, and major tract development in the Antelope Valley began in 1983. The 2020 census counted 55,137 housing units in the city. Homes from the first waves of that building are now old enough that their original patio covers, if they had any, are often faded, sagging or loose at the wall. Repairing a sound frame with new panels can make sense; a cover with rotted or undersized members is usually better replaced.

Permits and inspections

Lancaster is an incorporated city, so patio cover permits go through the city rather than LA County. Most covers need a permit and inspections, and work that ties into a roof with solar equipment needs extra care so we do not disturb the array or its wiring. We prepare drawings and confirm current requirements with the city before we submit.

Talk to us

Call (661) 605-3157 or send photos showing the back of the house, the roof and the patio. We will measure, mark out where shade falls through the day, and give you a free written estimate.

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