Tulsa FORTIFIED Roof™
Tulsa FORTIFIED Roof is a better way to protect your home against severe weather. FORTIFIED is a program of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and is a voluntary construction standard backed by decades of research to help protect your home against severe weather. A FORTIFIED roof includes the following enhancements:
- Enhanced Roof Deck Attachment
- Sealed Roof Deck
- Locked Down Roof Edges
- Impact Resistant Shingles Rated by IBHS
- Wind and Rain-Resistant Attic Vents
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Tulsa FORTIFIED Roofer Since 2018
FORTIFIED Roof was specifically designed to prevent damage that commonly occurs during high winds, hurricanes, hailstorms, severe thunderstorms, and even tornadoes up to EF-2. No matter what type of roof you have—shingles, metal, or tile—choosing a FORTIFIED Roof for your next roof replacement will make your home stronger.
Since 2018, Dave Laizure, owner of Whirlwind Roofing & Construction has been an approved FORTIFIED Roofer with the following FORTIFIED certifications.
- FORTIFIED Hail Certified Provider
- FORTIFIED High-Wind Provider
The FORTIFIED Roof certification demonstrates a solid understanding of the critical aspects of installation and documentation for roofing a new or existing home to meet the stringent FORTIFIED standards.
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.
Sealed Roof Deck
If wind rips off your roof covering―such as shingles, metal panels or tiles―it exposes the wood beneath and allows water to pass through the gaps and enter your home. FORTIFIED requires roof decks to be sealed to prevent this type of water damage.
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.
Impact-Resistant Shingles
In hail-prone areas, homeowners are encouraged to opt for the Hail Supplement to their FORTIFIED designation. To achieve this added level of protection, shingles must score Good or Excellent on the IBHS Hail Impact Ratings. These outperform typical Class 4 shingles when tested against realistic hailstones and will better protect your home from hail up to 2” in diameter.
"Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act" Consumer Grant Program (2025)
FORTIFIED Articles & Press Releases
The Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act will establish a grant program aimed at assisting homeowners in reinforcing their roofs with impact-resistant materials that meet FORTIFIED standards set by the IBHS. These funds will enable consumers to construct or retrofit their homes with impact-resistant shingles and other enhancements. Additionally, many insurance companies offer reduced premiums for homes with such modifications.
The new grant program created by the law will be in development through the end of the year, with the first grants going out in 2025. Read about the qualifications required Here.
Important: To receive this grant, you must obtain an IBHS FORTIFIED Home – Roof™ – High Wind designation with the Hail Supplement. Learn more about FORTIFIED™ by visiting fortifiedhome.org.
October 21, 2024: Dog Doors in FORTIFIED Homes
June 26, 2024: Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program: What You Need to Know
May 13, 2024: Governor Signs Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act Into Law
March 14, 2024: Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act: Making Your Home Resilient While Saving You Money
FORTIFIED Cost Analysis – HUD 2022 A Cost-Benefit Analysis of FORTIFIED Home Designation in Oklahoma by the University of Oklahoma
Yes. The additional building materials, third-party inspections, and labor required to upgrade to a FORTIFIED roof is more expensive than a traditional roof system. Pricing depends on available material costs and complexity of the project.
Third-party verification by a FORTIFIED Evaluator is required to make certain the upgraded construction materials and installation methods used on your home meet the standards required for a FORTIFIED designation certificate. This is a service the homeowner pays for separately from the roofing contractor. A list of evaluators can be found at https://fortifiedproviders.com/
No. Your roof will need to be re-inspected every 5 years to maintain its FORTIFIED certification. Also, if your home has been modified in the past 5 years―perhaps you enclosed an attached porch, added a new bedroom, or even had a doggie door installed―the evaluator will work with you to determine whether your home still meets the FORTIFIED standards. Typically, this will involve discussing the changes with the contractor who made them and documenting the building materials and construction techniques used. Each situation is unique, and a certified evaluator will be able to provide an assessment specific to your home.
The Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act (SOH) provides grants to Oklahoma residents for residential wind and hail mitigation on new and existing, owner-occupied, primary residence single-family homes beginning in 2025. Funding for this program comes from the insurance industry in Oklahoma and is not funded from the state’s general budget. To receive this grant, you must obtain an IBHS FORTIFIED Home – Roof™ – High Wind designation with the Hail Supplement. Visit the OKReady website for the latest grant information.
Not yet in Oklahoma, as of July 1st, 2024. But, FORTIFIED incentives are spreading rapidly, so stay tuned. Contact your tax advisor directly and ask if any are offered in your state. Also, ask about any incentives for construction upgrades that help protect your home from severe weather.