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A Stronger Roof for Gulf Coast Storms
FORTIFIED Roofing in Pensacola and Northwest Florida
FORTIFIED adds research-backed construction standards beyond a typical roof replacement to help protect your home against high winds and wind-driven rain.
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Have Questions About FORTIFIED?
What Is a FORTIFIED Roof?
A FORTIFIED Roof is built to a standard set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the research organization that studies how homes hold up in hurricanes and high wind. FORTIFIED is not a brand of shingle and not a warranty. It is a set of roof installation details that go beyond building code, and the work is verified by an independent FORTIFIED evaluator, not by the roofing contractor. We install the roof to FORTIFIED requirements, the evaluator verifies it, and IBHS issues the designation.
- Sealed roof deck. An added water barrier over the roof deck. If shingles or panels are damaged during a storm, that layer helps keep wind-driven rain from entering the home.
- Enhanced roof deck attachment. A specific ring-shank nailing pattern designed for greater wind resistance.
- Reinforced roof edges. A heavier drip edge and fully adhered starter strip that create a roof perimeter designed to better resist wind uplift.
FORTIFIED Silver and FORTIFIED Gold add protection for windows, doors, garage doors, gable ends and the connections from roof to wall to foundation. Most roof replacements pursue the FORTIFIED Roof level.
Donald K
The crew from quality did a fantastic job. They were well organized and worked together as a team.
How the FORTIFIED Roof Designation Works
- Roof inspection and FORTIFIED estimate. We take a look at your roof and walk you through what the FORTIFIED details would add to your roof replacement.
- Choose an independent FORTIFIED evaluator. Evaluators do not work for the roofing contractor and are listed in the FORTIFIED provider directory. The evaluator documents existing conditions and confirms the plan meets the standard.
- Installation with photo documentation. The FORTIFIED details are installed and photographed before they are covered, so the sealed deck, nailing pattern and edge metal are on record for the evaluator.
- Evaluator review and IBHS designation. The evaluator submits the documentation to IBHS. On approval, the home receives a FORTIFIED Roof designation certificate, valid for five years.
- Share the certificate with your insurance agent. We provide the documentation; your agent tells you what it means for your policy.
FORTIFIED Roof vs. a Standard Roof Replacement
A standard roof replacement is built to meet the wind requirements on your permit. FORTIFIED adds requirements beyond that, focused on keeping water out of the house if the roof covering is damaged. Those details are in the deck seams, the fasteners and the edges, which are covered by the shingles or panels once the roof is finished. That is why the program includes third-party verification and photo documentation, giving homeowners a documented record that the roof meets the FORTIFIED standard.
| Standard QRS Roof | FORTIFIED Roof |
|---|---|
| Built to required wind standards | Additional FORTIFIED requirements |
| Standard deck attachment | Enhanced deck attachment |
| Code-required underlayment | Sealed roof deck |
| Standard edge requirements | Reinforced roof edges |
| Standard permit inspections | Permit inspections plus independent FORTIFIED verification |
FORTIFIED Roofing in Pensacola and Northwest Florida
We have spent 20 years roofing homes across Northwest Florida, and we have seen firsthand what Gulf Coast weather can do to a roof. FORTIFIED gives homeowners another option when they want to build beyond standard requirements and add storm protection to their home. Florida’s wind mitigation inspection form credits several of the same details FORTIFIED requires, including a sealed roof deck and enhanced roof deck attachment. Ask your insurance agent how a wind mitigation inspection applies to your policy.
FORTIFIED details can be applied to metal roofing, architectural shingles and tile.
FORTIFIED Roof Cost
The FORTIFIED details add material and labor to a standard roof replacement, mostly in deck sealing, ring-shank fasteners and edge metal, plus the evaluator’s fee. The amount depends on roof size, pitch, deck condition and the roofing material you choose. We do not publish a flat number because there is not one. Ask us to price the FORTIFIED details when you request your estimate so you can compare them with a standard replacement. And if FORTIFIED is not the right fit for your home, we will tell you that too.
Is a FORTIFIED Roof Right for My Home?
A FORTIFIED Roof may be worth considering if you are already planning a roof replacement, want additional protection against Gulf Coast storms, or are interested in roofing features that may qualify for wind mitigation credits.
It is not necessarily the right choice for every home. We will inspect your roof, explain the difference between your options, and help you understand the added cost before you decide.
Watch: FORTIFIED Roofing Explained
Quality Roofing Solutions customer Pat B. on why he chose a FORTIFIED roof for his Gulf Coast home. Read the companion article: FORTIFIED Roofing in Pensacola: What It Is and How the Designation Works.
Where We Install FORTIFIED Roofs
FORTIFIED Roofing Along the Gulf Coast
We install FORTIFIED roofs for homeowners across Northwest Florida, including Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Pace, Milton, Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Niceville, Crestview and DeFuniak Springs. Not sure if your home is in our FORTIFIED service area? Ask us.
Roofing a home in coastal Alabama? See FORTIFIED roofing in Baldwin and Mobile County.
Read Our Reviews
What Your Neighbors Are Saying
Great service and quick. Insurance gave us 2 and 1/2 weeks to get a new roof and Quality Roofing came through for us.
My roofing consultant, Carl Broussard, was very prompt and professional. He explained all aspects of a roof system very thoroughly. He is a true asset to your team. Love my new roof!
Very happy with the service that I got with this company. Very fast work and very nice people.
Jordan and his crew were prompt and helpful on their part of the job and Angel and his guys worked till after dark for 2 days to bring the project in on…
Quality indeed and stood by their commitment giving me a stronger house and much lower insurance costs.
Met with Carl today for quote on a new roof. Very professional and helpful! Will consider this company to replace my roof, based upon his knowledge and recommendations.
Excellent service from start to finish. Quality Roofing was recommended to me by a friend/neighbor and I will definitely continue the recommendation to others.
Quality is definitely the best roofing company in the area. They just finished a second roof for me. They are honest, dependable and professional. I wouldn't let anyone else do my roof.
FAQs
FORTIFIED Roofing Questions
What is a FORTIFIED roof?
A FORTIFIED Roof is a roof installed to the IBHS FORTIFIED standard, with a sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails in an enhanced pattern and locked-down edges, then verified by an independent FORTIFIED evaluator. IBHS issues a designation certificate that is valid for five years.
Can my existing roof be made FORTIFIED without replacing it?
Usually not. Sealing the deck seams and re-nailing the decking require the old roof covering to come off, so FORTIFIED is almost always done as part of a full roof replacement. If your roof is in good shape and does not need replacing, we will tell you so.
Does a FORTIFIED roof work with metal, shingle and tile roofing?
Yes. The FORTIFIED Roof standard covers the deck, fasteners and edges under the roof covering, and IBHS publishes approved details for asphalt shingle, metal and tile roofs.
Who issues the FORTIFIED certificate?
IBHS issues the designation after your independent FORTIFIED evaluator submits photo documentation of the work. Quality Roofing Solutions does not certify its own roofs. That independence is the point of the program.
Will a FORTIFIED roof change my homeowners insurance?
That depends on your carrier and your policy. Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts for verified wind mitigation features, and several FORTIFIED details are among them. Bring your FORTIFIED designation certificate and wind mitigation form to your insurance agent and ask what they mean for your coverage. We provide the documentation; your agent applies whatever your policy allows.
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