What Is a FORTIFIED Roof?
A plain-English look at the storm-resistance standard behind a stronger roof replacement
Roof damage in a storm often starts at the edge. Wind gets underneath, lifts the roof covering, and rain follows through the exposed deck. A FORTIFIED Roof™ is a way of replacing your roof that is built around those weak spots. It is a voluntary standard from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a nonprofit research organization supported by property insurers and reinsurers.
Martin Exteriors holds a FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor Agreement with IBHS. This page explains in plain terms what the standard is, what it changes about a reroof, how the designation works, and what to expect from insurance.
What Is a FORTIFIED Roof?
FORTIFIED Roof is the first level of the IBHS FORTIFIED Home™ program, which also includes FORTIFIED Silver and FORTIFIED Gold. Every level starts with a FORTIFIED Roof. The standard is designed to work with just about any roof cover, including shingles, metal and tile, and it focuses on three weak points: how the roof deck is attached to the house, the roof edges, and gaps in the roof deck.
How a FORTIFIED Roof Differs From a Standard Reroof
A standard reroof follows your local building code and the manufacturer’s instructions. FORTIFIED adds these upgrades on top of that:
- Sealed roof deck. The seams in the roof deck are sealed, so if wind does tear off the roof covering, water has a much harder time getting into the house. IBHS testing shows sealing the seams can cut water intrusion by up to 95%.
- Ring-shank nails in a tighter pattern. Instead of common smooth nails, FORTIFIED requires ring-shank nails with less space between them to hold the deck down. IBHS testing shows this switch can double the uplift a roof can withstand.
- Stronger roof edges. FORTIFIED requires specific materials and installation methods at the edges, including a wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip, that work together as one system.
- Old roof removed to the deck. FORTIFIED requires the existing roof covering to be removed down to the deck before the new roof goes on, so there is no new roof over an old one.
- Wind-rated roof vents. Ridge and off-ridge vents must be rated for high winds and anchored the way the standard requires.
- Tested roof covers. Whichever cover you choose, shingles, metal or tile, the product has to meet the program’s testing and rating requirements.
Depending on your local building code, a few of these steps may already be part of a good reroof. Others go beyond what code asks for.
A Wind Standard, Plus an Optional Hail Supplement
The standard has a High Wind version, used where the design wind speed is 115 mph or less, and a Hurricane version for places with higher design wind speeds. We are not hurricane country, so High Wind is the version that fits homes here, and your evaluator confirms it for your address.
Hail protection is a separate, optional add-on called the Hail Supplement. It does not change the wind requirements. It adds impact-rating requirements for the roof cover. Asphalt shingles must rate Good or Excellent on the IBHS hail impact-resistant shingle ratings, and metal and tile have to pass their own impact tests. If hail is a worry for your home, ask us about it at your inspection.
How the FORTIFIED Designation Works
Building to the standard and earning the official designation are two different things. The designation is the paperwork that proves it, and here is how it works:
- Check that your home qualifies. IBHS accepts single-family homes, duplexes, townhouses and manufactured homes built after 1994.
- Plan it before the work starts. An independent, third-party FORTIFIED Evaluator has to verify the work as it happens, so the roof needs to be planned around the standard from the beginning.
- Build it and document it. The evaluator visits the job, and photos and product documentation are collected while the roof goes on. For an existing home seeking a FORTIFIED Roof designation, IBHS requires at least two evaluator site visits.
- IBHS reviews the file. The evaluator sends the documentation to IBHS, which checks that the roof meets the standard.
- You get the certificate. IBHS issues a designation certificate for the property. It lasts five years, and an evaluator does a re-designation inspection at the end of the term to renew it.
The evaluator is independent from us. Martin Exteriors installs the roof, and the evaluator is the one who verifies it. Without that verification, a roof cannot receive an official FORTIFIED designation.
FORTIFIED Roofs and Insurance in Illinois and Wisconsin
IBHS says a FORTIFIED designation may qualify a home for financial incentives, and that insurers sometimes discount the wind part of the premium. But those programs are not the same everywhere. IBHS lists the states with incentives written specifically for FORTIFIED, and neither Illinois nor Wisconsin is on that list. We also have not found a state law requiring a FORTIFIED discount, or a state grant that pays for a FORTIFIED Roof, in either state.
That does not mean your insurer has nothing to offer. Discounts are up to each company, so before you decide, call your insurance agent and ask:
- Do you give a discount for a FORTIFIED Roof designation, and how is it figured?
- What paperwork do you need, and do you require the designation to be renewed every five years?
- Does my policy include a FORTIFIED endorsement that helps pay for the upgrade if my roof is replaced after a covered loss?
We can’t promise any savings, and we don’t quote insurance numbers. If you are dealing with a claim, our insurance claims help page covers how we work with your adjuster.
Why a FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor Matters
IBHS requires every FORTIFIED designation to have its roof installed by a certified FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor. These roofers have completed training on the standard and know how to work with an evaluator, which makes the verification smoother. The roof is where it matters most: IBHS studies show as much as 90% of catastrophe-related insurance claims include roof damage.
Martin Exteriors is family-owned, in business since 2006, and serving Rockford, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Our FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor Agreement with IBHS is one more reason to bring us your roof questions. You can also see how we handle a standard roof replacement if you are comparing options.
What a FORTIFIED Roof Does Not Do
We want to be straight with you. IBHS says a FORTIFIED home is not stormproof and that some damage can still happen in extreme weather. The standard covers the roof and, at higher levels, other parts of the home that fail in high winds. It does not cover everything, and siding, for example, is not addressed. A FORTIFIED Roof is a stronger roof, not a guarantee.
FORTIFIED Roof FAQ
What is a FORTIFIED Roof?
FORTIFIED Roof is a voluntary roofing standard from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). It adds a sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails, stronger roof edges and wind-rated roof vents to a reroof, so the roof is better prepared for high winds and wind-driven rain.
How is a FORTIFIED Roof different from a regular new roof?
A standard reroof is built to your local building code and the manufacturer’s instructions. A FORTIFIED Roof goes beyond that with a sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails in a tighter pattern, a stronger edge system, and the old roof removed down to the deck. Depending on your local code, a few of these steps may already be part of a good reroof.
Does every roof Martin Exteriors installs get a FORTIFIED designation?
No. A designation happens only when the roof is built to the FORTIFIED standard, an independent FORTIFIED Evaluator verifies the work, and IBHS issues the certificate. If you want one, tell us at your free inspection so the job is planned that way from the start.
Will a FORTIFIED Roof lower my insurance premium?
It might, but we can’t promise it. Some insurers discount the wind portion of the premium for a FORTIFIED designation, and others do not. We have not found a state-required discount or state grant for FORTIFIED roofs in our area, so ask your insurance agent before you decide.
How long does a FORTIFIED designation last?
A FORTIFIED designation certificate lasts five years. At the end of that term, an evaluator does a re-designation inspection to keep the designation. If the roof covering is in good condition and nothing major has changed, the designation can be renewed.
Does a FORTIFIED Roof mean my roof can’t be damaged?
No. IBHS is clear that no home is stormproof. A FORTIFIED Roof lowers the chance of a cascade of damage, but some damage can still happen in extreme weather, and parts of the house like siding are not covered by the standard.
Does a FORTIFIED Roof cost more?
Yes. The extra materials and labor cost more than a basic reroof, and an independent evaluator charges to verify the work if you want the designation. The cost depends on your home, so we go over it with you at your free inspection.
Thinking about a FORTIFIED Roof? Schedule a free inspection or call (815) 624-6278 and we will walk you through what your roof would need.
