What is a FORTIFIED Roof? The Best Explanation Anywhere

What Is The FORTIFIED Roof Program?

FORTIFIED is a program created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS).

The IBHS was created with one primary purpose: to save insurance companies money - especially on severe weather claims. The program was built to research, cope with, and provide structural solutions for severe weather events and the damage they cause. The IBHS has a major advantage: access to millions of insurance claims - everything from tornadoes to hurricanes - what failed and what didn't.

Since 2010, the IBHS Research Center has provided fascinating information about how to keep properties safe, and what homeowners can do to save themselves from storm damage.

The IBHS developed FORTIFIED to do just that.

“FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction and re-roofing Program designed to strengthen homes and commercial buildings against specific types of severe weather such as high winds, hail, hurricanes and even tornados.”

‍

Early Successes of the Program

The first 3 states to offer grants for FORTIFIED installation all deal with constant weather-related threats to homeowners:

• Alabama has two distinct tornado seasons where high winds cause major property damage.
• Louisiana is prone to hurricanes, tropical cyclones and severe storm surge along the Gulf Coast.
• North Carolina averages 31 tornadoes a year, as well as 40-50 major thunderstorm events annually.

In addition, Mississippi and Oklahoma recently offered insurance discounts to homeowners with FORTIFIED roofs.

You don’t need to live in these 5 states to benefit from a FORTIFIED roof. The extra protection a FORTIFIED designation offers can save homeowners thousands of dollars in future repairs to their roofs, siding, windows and home foundations.

HOMR researched the top consumer questions about FORTIFIED roof designation through Google search trends and IBHS inquiries. We then asked Travis Jones of Smart Roof & Home Performance 12 of your most popular questions about FORTIFIED roofing.

Dallas Roof Replacement Isn't Cheap! It costs between $8,000 and $15,000 to replace a roof in Dallas. 4 specific cost drivers make Dallas roof replacement 15-25% more expensive than the US average — learn more in our updated Cost Guide.

Let’s get your questions answered right now!

The basics of IBHS FORTIFIED Roofing

What is a FORTIFIED roof? 

Travis Jones: FORTIFIED is a designation that uses tested and proven “better than code” standards to make homes more resilient.

FORTIFIED has designations for hurricane zones, high wind zones, and hail areas. The hail designation is great for areas like Texas that experience lots of hail events.

FORTIFIED has training available for contractors and evaluators to become certified in their various designations. I am certified to do the High Wind and Hail Designation.

Tell us about FORTIFIED Silver and FORTIFIED Gold Roofing Designations

Travis Jones: FORTIFIED Silver and Gold designations were initially developed for hurricane zones, but also make homes far more resilient against tornados and high wind damage. 

Here’s a helpful chart that breaks down the difference between different levels of FORTIFIED designations:

It all starts with the roof, which is part of all FORTIFIED designations. Both Silver and Gold designations require the original roofing standards.

FORTIFIED Silver designation adds details for doors, windows, garage doors, chimneys, soffits, and gable ends.

FORTIFIED Gold covers your entire home. It focuses on engineering a continuous load path from the peak of the roof all the way down to the foundation.

What is the IBHS?

Travis Jones: IBHS stands for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. The IBHS is a non-profit research organization, funded by insurance and reinsurance companies.

The IBHS tests various materials and construction methods to develop high standards for quality. They continually refine those standards based on test results and real world practicality. 

They have a really amazing state-of-the-art facility in South Carolina where they do all this research. 

Trust the Dallas roofing experts! Smart Roof & Home Performance is one of HOMR's picks for best Dallas roofing contractors. Check out our rigorous process to narrow the 4,000 DFW roofing companies to our 2 top picks — our updated Guide to Dallas roofing contractors is live!

What are the benefits of a FORTIFIED roof?

Travis Jones: There are 4 major benefits to installing a certified FORTIFIED roof: 

1. Resilience. FORTIFIED roof designation is structured to keep water out of your home and construction materials (siding, shingles, etc.) on your house. Think of it like a belt and suspenders — standards that are there to keep everything in place.
2. Reinforcement. IBHS conducted lab testing and verified that a sealed, reinforced roof deck that meets FORTIFIED standards has double the uplift capacity of standard roof construction, and is 95% more effective at keeping water out of your home. In simple terms, this means FORTIFIED roofs are twice as likely to remain intact and keep water out during severe weather events.
3. Damage Resistance. In the event of a major storm, a FORTIFIED roof increases a homeowner’s chance of avoiding catastrophic damage. Even if shingles are blown off, the sealed deck and edges mean the house is less likely to have water get into the living space.
4. Financial Savings. A FORTIFIED roof can save money through various insurance discounts — plus, you won’t need to replace your roof and roofing materials nearly as often due to damage and degradation. The less work you have to do on your roof, the less you’ll pay to maintain it.

How long does a FORTIFIED roof designation last?

Travis Jones: FORTIFIED designation is good for 5 years, and then must be renewed by a certified FORTIFIED evaluator. This can be done for the life of the roof, and the designation is transferable. 

Hey, Texas Homeowners! Ready to get your roof FORTIFIED? Send us a message, and get a free FORTIFIED home appraisal with no sign ups required!

{{cta-component="/"}}

‍

How FORTIFIED Roofs help with Home Protection

How does a FORTIFIED roof protect against high winds?

Travis Jones: FORTIFIED roof structures take 5 specific steps that lead to better protection against high winds:

1. The roof deck is nailed every 4” with ring shank nails. 
2. The felt nailing pattern strengthens that attachment by using triple the nails of a normal roof installation.
3. The roofing shingles are attached with 6 nails (instead of the standard 5).
4. Quality cap shingles are used to protect ridges and hips.
5. Self-adhesive starter shingles are used on top of thicker drip edges, so the eaves and rakes are sealed tight.

We hear a lot about shingle quality. What are Class 4 shingles?

Travis Jones: Shingle class is an impact rating determined by testing, using steel balls or ice balls. Class 4 shingles have been tested to withstand two hits from a 2” steel ball (UL standard). IBHS conducts their own testing, and you can read the results on their website.

Did You Know?: GAF ranks Class 4 Shingles as the highest possible rating for asphalt shingles. 

What other severe weather can a FORTIFIED roof protect my home from?

Travis Jones: There are multiple designations for severe weather in the IBHS FORTIFIED program. For example, I am certified with high wind and hail designations. 

Other FORTIFIED severe weather designations include hurricanes, 

Here are a few facts you should know about severe weather and FORTIFIED roofs:

• The hail designation is for class 4 shingles, which are thicker and have a higher impact rating.
• The hail designation also requires replacing old skylights with impact rated skylights.
• The sealed roof deck and increase in attachment for all the components protects the home from water intrusion. 

Financial Incentives of FORTIFIED Roofs

‍

‍

Is a FORTIFIED roof tax deductible?

Travis Jones: Tax deductible status for FORTIFIED roof installation isn’t standardized yet. But the insurance benefits and reduced premiums more than make up for that.

Note from HOMR: Travis is right — there’s no standard answer regarding FORTIFIED roofs and tax deductions. The IBHS notes several states currently offer tax credits, including Florida and South Carolina, nothing for Texas right now.

Some sources claim FORTIFIED roof installation is a capital improvement to your property, eligible for state tax deductions of up to $5,000. Others claim that capital improvement designation is only for standard roof upgrades.

Our advice? Contact a trusted tax professional directly and ask for an expert opinion.

Does a FORTIFIED roof have any insurance benefits?

Travis Jones: If you meet the high wind and hail designation, that requires Class 4 shingles — all insurance carriers offer some type of discount for that. Check with your own provider. 

Some states offer specific insurance benefits for FORTIFIED roofs. The IBHS offers an updated list of states offering insurance incentives here. 

Note from HOMR: Click here to see a full list of states that offer financial incentives for FORTIFIED home designation.

Who's Eligible for a FORTIFIED Roof™?

What states currently offer FORTIFIED roof designation?

Travis Jones: Anyone can install a certified FORTIFIED roof — you don’t have to live in a specific state. If you’re referring to state grant programs, North Carolina, Alabama and Louisiana all offer FORTIFIED grants. Mississippi and Oklahoma also offer insurance discounts.

I’ve read press releases about FORTIFIED grant programs potentially coming to states like Iowa and Minnesota, which is great. But you don’t have to be in one of those states to get certified — the bottom line is, FORTIFIED is spreading!

Am I eligible for a FORTIFIED roof?

Travis Jones: Anyone is eligible for a FORTIFIED roof — I advise finding the right time to upgrade your roof to save yourself the most money.

The best time to do it is during a re-roofing project. The only restrictions are related to structural issues, but those are very specific circumstances that don’t apply to most homeowners. If you’re unsure, you can talk to a certified FORTIFIED roofing contractor or an engineer.

Can you get a FORTIFIED roof in Texas?

Travis Jones: Yes — I’m certified as a FORTIFIED Roof™ professional with high wind and hail designations. It’s smart to get a FORTIFIED roof in Texas with our high frequency of hail events and strong winds.

Note from HOMR: Texas homeowners file more insurance claims for hail damage than any other state. Every insurance carrier offers discounts for installing Class 4 shingles, and many are starting to offer benefits for FORTIFIED roof certification.