# FORTIFIED Roof

> A voluntary US construction standard from IBHS that upgrades roof edges, deck sealing and attachment to reduce hurricane and high-wind damage.

- URL: https://roof.wiki/fortified-roof/
- Topic: Climate, Hazards & Sustainability
- Also known as: FORTIFIED Home; IBHS FORTIFIED; FORTIFIED Roof standard
- Regions: North America
- First published: 2026-11-02 · Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
- Cite as: "FORTIFIED Roof." roof.wiki. https://roof.wiki/fortified-roof/

## Key facts

- **Developer:** Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
- **Levels:** Roof, Silver, Gold
- **Shingle wind rating required:** ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H
- **Designated homes:** More than 100,000 (program figure)
- **Latest edition noted:** 2025 Residential, effective Nov 1, 2025

FORTIFIED Roof is the entry level of the FORTIFIED Home program run by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), an insurance-funded research organization in the United States. FORTIFIED describes itself as a national standard for resilience. It sets out construction steps that go beyond typical building code minimums and requires third-party verification before a home receives a designation.

## Requirements

The FORTIFIED Roof level focuses on the roof system:

- **Stronger edges.** A wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip installed together.
- **Sealed roof deck.** All deck seams are sealed so water cannot pass if the covering is torn away. IBHS testing indicates this can reduce water intrusion by up to 95 percent.
- **Better deck attachment.** 8d ring-shank nails replace smooth-shank nails, installed in a closer pattern; IBHS testing indicates this can double uplift resistance.
- **Wind-rated coverings.** Asphalt shingles must meet ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H. Metal, tile and low-slope systems must be rated for site-specific design pressures.
- **Optional hail supplement.** Adds impact requirements, such as UL 2218 Class 4 for metal and low-slope coverings and FM 4473 Class 4 for tile.

## Higher levels

FORTIFIED Silver and Gold add requirements beyond the roof, such as protection of openings in hurricane-prone areas, gable end bracing, chimney bracing, anchored attached structures, and engineered connections from roof to wall and down to the foundation.

## Versions and uptake

FORTIFIED technical standards are periodically revised; a 2025 residential edition took effect on November 1, 2025. The program reports that more than 100,000 homes have received FORTIFIED designations.

## Insurance and grants

In Alabama, homes with a FORTIFIED designation receive a discount on the wind portion of the homeowner's premium from admitted insurers, and the Strengthen Alabama Homes program has offered grants covering mitigation costs up to $10,000 for homes that reach the FORTIFIED Roof standard. Other states have adopted similar grant or discount programs, though terms vary.

## Scope

FORTIFIED is a US program. Comparable principles (continuous load path, sealed deck, rated coverings) appear in cyclone-region codes elsewhere, such as Australia, but the designation itself is specific to the United States.

## Sources

1. FORTIFIED Roof — Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (FORTIFIED Home). https://fortifiedhome.org/?p=2512
2. FORTIFIED Roof Guide (Hurricane) — IBHS / Smart Home America. https://www.smarthomeamerica.org/assets/uploads/ibhs-fortified-roof-guide-HUR.pdf
3. Strengthen Alabama Homes — Alabama Department of Insurance. https://strengthenalabamahomes.com/