Next-Level Protection from Severe Weather

Storm Protection Starts at the Roof

When protecting against severe weather, your roof is the most important part of your home. It’s also the most vulnerable.

FORTIFIED Silver strengthens the three areas of a roof that most often lead to expensive storm damage by requiring the following upgrades.

When severe weather strikes, a FORTIFIED Roof keeps the wind and rain out, preventing a cascade of damage that can ruin your home and your belongings.

FORTIFIED Silver was specifically designed to reinforce the areas of your home conventional construction would most likely leave susceptible to damage from high winds and wind-driven rain. 

STRONGER EDGES

Roof damage often begins when wind gets underneath the roof edge and begins ripping it away from the home. To help protect this vulnerable area, FORTIFIED requires specific materials and installation methods including a wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip that when used together create a stronger system.

BETTER ATTACHMENT

Instead of common smooth nails, FORTIFIED requires ring-shank nails installed in an enhanced pattern to help keep the roof deck attached to your home in high winds. In fact, using ring-shank nails nearly doubles the strength of your roof against the forces of winds.

SEALED ROOF DECK

If wind rips off your roof covering―such as shingles, metal panels or tiles―this exposes the wood beneath and allows water to pass through the gaps and enter your home. FORTIFIED requires roofs to be sealed to prevent this type of water damage.

IMPACT-RESISTANT SHINGLES

FORTIFIED requires shingles tested by IBHS to best withstand hail up to 2 inches in diameter.

And in hail-prone areas:

** When used together, these small but important details make a huge impact on the strength of your roof and better protect your home against severe weather.

Additional Upgrades to Prevent Storm Damage

When high winds attack a home, some areas are particularly exposed, and when they fail it can start a cascade of damage that can impact the integrity of an entire house. Some of the key ways FORTIFIED Silver prevents damage to these high-risk areas include the following upgrades.

ADDITIONAL BRACING AT GABLE ENDS

Post-disaster studies show that typical construction plans often leave the large areas of a gable with little to no support. By requiring additional bracing, FORTIFIED stops high winds from collapsing this section of a home.

PRESSURE-RATED GARAGE DOORS

Keeping winds and pressure from entering your home is critical for its survival in a storm. Both can easily come through a failed garage door, and once this happens, it’s common to see blown-out walls and collapsed roofs. FORTIFIED prevents this scenario by requiring garage doors rated to withstand high pressures.

PROPERLY SECURED ATTACHED STRUCTURES AND PORCHES

High winds can flow under the roof of a carport or porch, and if the structure is not properly anchored, it can not only lift up like a kite―it can take part of your house with it. FORTIFIED requires strong anchors and proper connection to your home to prevent this type of damage.

And in hurricane zones:

IMPACT PROTECTION FOR WINDOWS AND DOORS

Tests conclusively show plywood over the windows is not sufficient to defend your home from storm pressures or from debris tossed by hurricane winds. To keep winds from entering your home and potentially causing catastrophic damage, FORTIFIED requires window and door protection that is tested to protect against pressure and impact.

Download this checklist and take it to your roofer to get started.

Click here to find out which checklist is right for you.