Let us rewind to 2022 when Hurricane Ian swept across the state of Florida in the United States. The toll was unfortunately immense. 5,000 residential properties were destroyed and 30,000 were damaged. Repairs for these homes can certainly break the bank.
The storm did wreak havoc on Florida’s waterfront communities, and suburbs. Researchers from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) made a discovery that the storm highlighted the fact that modern codes for building resilience to windstorms were being tested for effectiveness in the face of storms.
A study regarding the storm’s damage was conducted in 2023. It examined almost 4,000 buildings, homes, and structures alike. The conclusion was that the modern Florida Building Code (FBC) had been effective in controlling storm damage based on the following factors:
- Design levels.
- Adoption and enforcement system.
- Official training based on the code.
These factors helped remove structural damage caused by winds caused by Hurricane Ian, especially for homes made under the modern FBC.
Quantum Experts estimated that the Florida Building Code (FBC) saved between USD one and three billion in terms of structural damage. A lot of single-family homes were safe. The amount is definitely huge. It proves that homes can be built, rebuilt, and re-roofed in a manner that reduces disaster-induced damage (especially wind damage).
What did the IBHS develop?
IBHS conducted decades’ worth of research and developed a standard known as the FORTIFIED Home standard for both homeowners and their contractors. The methodology provides guidelines in construction and roofing. It helps strengthen areas of homes that are vulnerable to severe weather. The standard is free of cost and offers the following levels of protection:
- Roof.
- Silver.
- Gold.
What is the aim of the FORTIFIED Certification and what can homeowners do to get its certification?
More than 65,000 homeowners in Florida opted for a FORTIFIED designation to keep their homes safe. All they had to do was to submit documentation to IBHS that their home was built or re-roofed in compliance with the FORTIFIED standard. The works and inspection were to be done via an independent third-party evaluator. This is how homeowners can get the certification.
FORTIFIED certification is usually required for incentives such as insurance discounts, mitigation grants, or tax credits.
The primary goal of FORTIFIED is to prevent cascading and other forms of damage by natural disasters. According to IBHS Managing Director Fred Malik, it is necessary as minor damages left unattended can cause major problems. An example is lost shingles allowing water penetration in ceilings in the home ruining content, floors, and walls.
Tips on preventing storm damage to roofs
Reducing the impact of wind damage to roofs and as well as the risk of storm damage to homes is almost everyone’s priority in areas prone to storms. This is why the IBHS has advised the following steps to create a FORTIFIED roof:
Making strong roof connections to help keep the roof deck attached to the home
Nailing a wooden roof deck to the trusses or with the rafters using ring-shank nails is necessary. It should be done in an enhanced fastening way to double the uplift. This uplift is resistable by roofs. When building a new roof in a home, this upgrade is virtually free of cost i.e. has no price tag involved.
Reinforcing edges to protect vulnerable areas on the roof
Edges of roofs often face the most high wind pressures when a storm happens. FORTIFIED roofs have wider drip edges made of metal with a stronger underlayment. It is installed with amplified fastening and secured beneath the drip edge. Moreover, a joined starter strip helps keep the edges unharmed in their places.
A sealed roof deck helps prevent rain from entering the home even in the absence of shingles
IBHS testing exhibits that asphalt shingles become weak with time. They can be dislodged even if winds blow at 60 miles per hour. Once the roof cover is blown away or lost, rain pours into the home through gaps present in the wooden roof decking. Hence the roof deck should be sealed properly.
What does the FORTIFIED Home standard explain in detail?
The FORTIFIED Home Standard has explained four different methods for covering gaps in roofs. The standard aims to reduce the risk by 95%. Among the common methods of doing so is covering the gaps with a four-inch modified bitumen tape. Alternatively, the whole roof deck can be covered with a completely bonded underlayment known as an ice & water shield.
How can FORTIFIED help in Preventing hail-induced damage
In areas prone to hail, the IBHS recommends using effective materials resistant to hail. Its studies exhibit that not all impact-resistant shingles are the same. There are differences in production methods creating noticeable changes in durability and performance.
The pioneering research from IBHS led to the creation of Impact-Resistant Shingle Performance Ratings. They provide the needed information for homeowners to make informed decisions and select the best-performing products that help reduce hail-induced damage to roofs.
More steps to make a stronger home
The next step to making a storm-proof home is ensuring that the garage door has a design pressure rating of at least 130 miles per hour. Failure of the garage door to stay intact during a storm will allow wind pressure to build up inside the garage. This then pushes up on the roof and out against the walls. This will cause structural damage to the entire home.
Project Advisory professionals explain that the garage door is usually the largest and most vulnerable opening of homes. It should also be understood that doors, skylights, and windows can also be breached and damaged by storms. This can cause more storm pressure, rain, and wind to create more damage.
Installation of impact-resistant window and door assemblies is a way to help reduce this risk. It works in areas where tornadoes are prevalent. They are anything, unlike hurricanes. Tornadoes and other fast-moving wind storms offer no advance warning. Homeowners must add such strong garage doors to minimize damage caused by tornadoes. They can also use reliable painting service so that it doesn’t were off.
Hurricane-prone areas can use hurricane shutters and impact-rated shutter systems to prevent damage from wind-borne debris and of course, winds.
