FORTIFIED Home TM The key to resilient communities BRONZE SILVER GOLD NW Florida: (850) 542-3081 Alabama: (251) 206-5625 Mississippi: (228) 265-9499 Toll Free: 888 WMIT PRO (964-8776) www.disaster-smart.com info@disaster-smart.com
What is FORTIFIED? FORTIFIED MEANS RESILIENCE PROTECT WHAT S PRICELESS Insurance may help put the structure back together, but there is so much more that makes a house a home and a family part of a community. FORTIFIED upgrades will help you: reduce potential for property damage from natural disasters; protect physical assets - such as the building itself and personal property like furniture, artwork, clothing and photographs; lower ownership costs; minimize your environmental footprint by limiting the amount of destroyed building materials that end up in landfills post-disaster; safeguard investments made to make a home more sustainable and energy efficient; increase the chances of quickly returning home after an event and resuming daily life; increase the likelihood of staying in the community as it recovers and lower the overall cost of your community s recovery. Studies show every $1 spent on disaster mitigation saves $4 in community disaster recovery expenses; and improve the marketability of your home with a transferable FORTIFIED designation. Over the last decade storms like Ike, Irene, Katrina and Sandy have amplified the need to make homes and businesses more resilient. In 2010, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety s FORTIFIED Home Program made best practice engineering and building standards - developed using more than 20 years of storm damage investigations - available to anyone seeking to strengthen existing single-family, detached homes. FORTIFIED can be affordable at every price point and uses a unique systems-based method for creating stronger, safer homes. The program employs an incremental approach toward making existing homes more resistant to damage from hurricanes, tropical storms, hailstorms, high winds and wind-driven rain associated with thunderstorms. With three levels of FORTIFIED Home designation available Bronze, Silver and Gold builders can work with homeowners to choose a desired level of protection that best suits their budgets and resilience goals. FORTIFIED AND BUILDING CODES The intent of residential building codes is primarily life safety protection, not to ensure that the home is habitable after a catastrophic event or to protect the other property contained in the home. By definition, building codes are and should be a minimum requirement. Unfortunately, older homes are typically built to weaker standards for hazard resistance than those included in modern building codes, and even today not every state has a mandatory code. Furthermore, where codes are adopted, the codes and the quality of enforcement can vary significantly; and in some states, code enforcement may even be optional. Homeowners often lack adequate information about what codes were followed when their homes were built and how well those standards were enforced or even how they stack up against today s codes. The FORTIFIED Home Program works differently. It provides a uniform, voluntary, superior set of standards to upgrade the home and help improve its resilience by adding system-specific upgrades to minimum code requirements. Every FORTIFIED Home is inspected by a certified evaluator - before and after these upgrades are performed. Before work begins, a thorough audit is performed and a customized report is prepared for the property owner with specific information about how their home was built and the steps that can be taken to make it more resilient. This enables homeowners to make informed decisions about their home, to maximize investment in disaster-resilience, and to achieve the peace of mind that their home has more hazard resistance than a standard home.
What is FORTIFIED? SIX SIMPLE STEPS TO FORTIFIED 1 STEP 1. Call or E-mail Disaster Smart Consulting: APPLY 4 Toll Free: (888) WMIT PRO (964-8776) Afterthe theevaluation, evaluation,the theapplicant candidatewill willreceive receiveaccess an After inspection report with the summary findings by eto a comprehensive, customized Current Condition mail. This thesecure necessary details tothis begin the Report via provides a personal, online portal. discussion of pursuing or Silver Designation report includes analysisaofbronze the home s condition, an from IBHS. of Should the decision made to pursue explanation deficiencies, if any,be and an overview designation IBHS willneeded issue a comprehensive, of the improvements to achieve each of the customized Current Condition IfReport. Theno evaluator three FORTIFIED designations. there are retrofits will then awork with youcertificate and your contractor to at required, designation will be issued complete this time. the retrofits. Complete free online application at http://disasnw Florida:a (850) 542-3081 Alabama: (251) 206-5625 tersafety.org/disastersafety/fortified-home-evaluamississippi: (228) 265-9499 tion-application. It takes less than 5 minutes. E-mail: info@disaster-smart.com 2 STEP 2. SCHEDULE A FORTIFIED DSCI FORITFIED HOME REVIEW SCHEDULE EVALUATION Details the DSCI Home Review providedthe in the Once anfor application is received andare processed, brochure will on the page. quickcertisummary applicant.be next directed tothis a listisofa IBHS inspection usedevaluators to detail specific thatthe will be fied FORTIFIED workingfeatures in the area. evaluatedthen for compliance the FORTIFIED Home applicant schedules awith fee-based evaluation of requirements. The features itemized as the home. The applicant hasare theeach option to interview meeting requirements, needing to any evaluator listed, discuss theirdocumentation fees and negotiate determine compliance, oronly requiring accordingly. IBHS certifies thoseretrofit. evaluators who have completed a comprehensive training program, passed an exam, and who meet IBHS rigorous professional requirements. 3 5 List of DSCI Certified FFH Evaluators: Darius H Grimes CRC, CSI-CDT, CWMI, CHI, FFH Evaluator Heather Armstrong CBC, CWMI, CHI, FFH Evaluator Jason Bearden FFH Evaluator Labon Richmond FFH Evaluator Jack D Hankins JR CHI, CWMI, FFH Evaluator Jim McDonough ABC, FFH Evaluator Ricky M Nelson CHI, CWMI, FFH Evaluator http://www.disaster-smart.com/web.php?cmd=fortified_home_inspection FORTIFIED HomeTM is a program of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety Find additional information at DisasterSafety.org/fortified/home OR visit facebook.com/buildfortfied STEP 5. TAKE ACTION The Current Condition Report will be a roadmap for making the home more disaster resistant. The applicant s FORTIFIED Action Plan begins with deciding what level of protection they want to achieve, identifying the needed retrofits and having the work performed. Upon completion, the FORTIFIED upgrades must be verified for compliance by a the FORTIFIED evaluator. The evaluator will submit compliance documents and inspection reports to FORTIFIED Home for review and processing. STEP 3. HAVE FORTIFIED EVALUATION PERFORMED At the the scheduled scheduled time, time, the the chosen chosen evaluator evaluator will will visit At visithome the home and conduct a FORTIFIED the and conduct a DSCI FORTIFIED Evaluation. Home The evaluator s role is torole collect about Review. The evaluator s is toinformation collect information the home and complete a comprehensive about the home and complete a summary checklist provided by by DSCI. IBHS. At the conclusion of the evaluation, provided the information information isis transmitted transmitted to to DSCI IBHS for analysis and the processing. processing. STEP 4. RECEIVE AND REVIEW CUSTOMIZED REPORT 6 STEP 6. GET DESIGNATED Once the FORTIFIED evaluator verifies the improvements have been made, a FORTIFIED Designation is awarded. The FORTIFIED Designation Certificate is proof of compliance and can be submitted to the homeowner s property insurance provider to receive applicable discounts or credits where available. Check with your insurance carrier for more details about FORTIFIED incentives. Once awarded, a FORTIFIED Home Designation lasts for five years. At the end of that term, a re-designation audit is required and will focus on the condition of the roof covering. If major structural changes have been completed or if systems covered by FORTIFIED requirements have been damaged or upgraded since the original designation was awarded, a more extensive audit may be required.
Alabama and Mississippi homeowners are learning how to reduce Homeowner Insurance Costs with a Disaster-Smart FORTIFIED Home Review The Many Benefits of a Disaster-Smart FORTIFIED Home Review and Designation When you order a FORTIFIED Home Review from Disaster-Smart, you are taking the first step to achieving a FORTIFIED Designation for Bronze or Silver. Achieving a FORTIFIED Designation has many benefits including: Mandated Insurance Discounts: Both the Alabama and Mississippi Legislatures have mandated that all insurance companies must provide Windstorm Insurance Discounts for homes that are built to, or retrofitted to the FORTIFIED Homes Bronze, Silver or Gold Designations (up to 40% savings depending on location and underwriting requirements) Including the retrofits when re-roofing may reduce losses from wind damage by as much as $6 to $8 dollars for every $1 dollar invested (Bronze- Sealed Roof Deck). The insurance discounts help pay for the investment in as little as 1-3 years and even faster if a windstorm causes wind damage to your roof shingles or covering Homes with FORTIFIED Improvements not only cost less to insure, they include important improvements that strengthen the buildings envelope to help protect the interior of the home against wind damage and water leaks FORTIFIED Homes Smarter, Safer, Stronger improvements reduce the potential for wind loss or water damage to personal property like; heirlooms, antiques, family photos, or other items that may be irreplaceable Reducing windstorm damage means less out-of-pocket expense for the homeowner. Windstorm deductibles are generally between 2% and 20% so any reduction in damage produces savings for the homeowner first Having a home to live in immediately following a windstorm event means you are more likely to avoid the expense, trauma, and inconveniences associated with relocation or living in temporary housing while repairs are made to damaged interiors FORTIFIED Homes meet consumer demand for safer housing that exceed the minimum requirements of building codes, are more affordable to insure, sell faster and typically maintain higher resale values The $75.00 Disaster-Smart FORTIFIED Home Review includes the following: An inspection of the roofing system, gables, porches, windows, doors, garage doors and overhangs (eaves) to determine if the existing features already meet the FORTIFIED requirements, need additional documentation or need additional strengthening A photo documentation report of the exiting features with summary recommendations on the FORTIFIED Homes program requirements and a review with the homeowner to discuss their homes specific features The cost of the FORTIFIED Home Review is deducted from the full Evaluation when you are ready to move forward with the Bronze or Silver improvements to earn a FORTIFIED Homes Designation that strengthens your home and reduces your windstorm insurance costs Order a Disaster-Smart FORTIFIED Home Review to learn more! Phone: Toll Free: Email: Website: (850) 542-3081 888 WMIT PRO (964-8776) info@disaster-smart.com www.disaster-smart.com
Technical Requirements Summary Existing Residential, Single-Family Detached Homes HURRICANE EONZE BRONZE SILVER SILVER SILVER GOLDGOLDGOLD PLATINUM PLATINUM PLATINUM B&W B&W FORTIFIED is a program of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
INTRODUCTION The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety s FORTIFIED HomeTM: Hurricane Standard helps homeowners in coastal areas strengthen their houses against these powerful storms. Incorporating the FORTIFIED Standard when repairing, rebuilding or renovating your single-family home will transform your house into a more a resilient and durable property. The FORTIFIED program offers flexibility and varying price points through a combination of three designation levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The process begins with Bronze, which includes costeffective retrofit requirements that must be completed before moving onto the next level to achieve the greatest disaster resistance. The key to FORTIFIED is its thorough inspection process that ensures homeowners are getting the most value for the money they are already spending on home improvements, repairs or rebuilding after a disaster. FORTIFIED Home Standards are also available for new houses. For more detailed information about how to make your home stronger, safer and more hurricane-resistant, and to download an application, please visit www.disastersafety.org/fortified. Also, follow us on Twitter at @DisasterSafety and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/buildfortified.
FORTIFIED HOME Technical Requirements Hazard: Hurricane Locations where the design wind speed exceeds 90 mph as determined in ASCE7-05 Construction Type: Existing residential, single-family detached homes FORTIFIED HomeTM: Hurricane Bronze Requirements: Roof covering condition must be evaluated. If roof covering is determined to have more than five years of usable life remaining, reroofing is not required. If roof covering has five years or less of remaining useful life, then roof cover must be replaced. Roof deck must be a minimum of 7/16 in. OSB or Plywood. Deck must be attached with 8d ring shank nails, spaced nominally at 6 in. o.c. along the edges and in the field; unless engineering analysis or local code requires more fasteners at the corners. If existing deck does not have the required fastener type and/or spacing, the typical retrofit when re-roofing would be to add an 8d ring shank fastener between existing fasteners. If existing roof covering is NOT being replaced, supplemental attachment can be achieved using a qualified two-part, closed-cell, polyurethane foam adhesive applied to both sides of each roof framing member at the deck from within the attic. The roof deck must be sealed with a qualified system. Described below are three qualified methods for sealing from the top side when reroofing. This is not generally required by the model building codes. o The entire roof deck shall be covered with a full layer of selfadhering polymer modified bitumen membrane meeting ASTM D1970 requirements. It is recommended that the membrane be covered with 15# felt before shingles are applied to provide bond break and so that the shingles don t become fused to the self-adhering membrane. Page 1 of 5
FORTIFIED HOME Technical Requirements o Apply a self-adhering polymer modified bitumen flashing tape that is at least 4 in. wide directly to the roof deck to seal the horizontal and vertical joints in the roof deck. Next apply a code compliant 30-pound ASTM D226, Type II underlayment over the self-adhering tape. This underlayment must be attached using annular ring or deformed shank roofing fasteners with minimum 1 in. diameter caps at 6 in. o.c. spacing along all laps and at 12 in. o.c. in the field, or a more stringent fastener schedule if required by the manufacturer for high-wind installations. Horizontal laps shall be a minimum of 2 in. and end laps shall be a minimum of 6 in. Nails with plastic or metal caps are allowed in areas where the design wind speed is less than 140 mph. Metal caps are required for areas where the design wind speed is greater than or equal to 140 mph. o Apply reinforced synthetic roof underlayment which has an ICC approval as an alternate to ASTM D226 Type II felt paper. The synthetic underlayment must have minimum tear strength of 20 lbs. per ASTM D1970 or ASTM D4533. This underlayment must be attached using annular ring or deformed shank roofing fasteners with minimum 1 in. diameter caps at 6 in. o.c. spacing along all laps and at 12 in. o.c. in the field, or a more stringent fastener schedule if required by the manufacturer for high-wind installations. Metal caps are required for areas where the design wind speed is greater than or equal to 140 mph. If not re-roofing, sealing the roof deck can be done from within the attic using qualified closed-cell foam applied to all horizontal roof deck seams and along all roof framing members. If re-roofing, a drip edge must be installed (at eaves and rakes) with 3 in. laps. Drip edge shall extend ½ in. below sheathing and extend back on the roof a minimum of 2 in. Drip edge at eaves shall be permitted to be installed either over or under the underlayment. At gable ends drip edge shall be installed over the underlayment. The drip edge shall be mechanically fastened to the roof deck at maximum of 4 in. o.c. If re-roofing with shingle roof covering, shingles must be high-wind rated based on design wind speed. See chart on the next page: Page 2 of 5
FORTIFIED HOME Technical Requirements ASCE 7-05 Wind Speed (vasd) ASCE 7-10 Wind Speed (vult) Shingle Wind Testing Standard/Classification 100 MPH 129 MPH ASTM D3161 (Class F) or ASTM D 7158 (Class G or H)1 110 MPH 142 MPH ASTM D3161 (Class F) or ASTM D 7158 (Class G or H)1 120 MPH 155 MPH ASTM D 7158 (Class G or H)1 130 MPH 168 MPH 140 MPH 180 MPH 150 MPH 194 MPH ASTM D 7158 (Class H)1 Note: When used in Exposure D locations, shingles must pass both ASTM D3161 Class F and ASTM D7158 Class H testing standard. 1 Concrete and clay tile systems and their attachment shall meet the requirements of the site design wind speed and exposure category. Metal panel roof systems and their attachment shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer s installation instructions, and shall provide uplift resistance equal to or greater than the design uplift pressure for the roof based on the site design wind speed and exposure category. Gable walls must have minimum of 7/16 in. structural sheathing (OSB or Plywood). Gable overhangs must not be vented. Gable wall vents must be protected against water intrusion. Gable overhangs framed using outlooker framing must have adequate connection at gable wall and at roof framing members. Connection can be determined by structural engineer or by using IBHS prescriptive connection detail (located in the FORTIFIED HomeTM: Hurricane Standards, http://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/fortifiedhurricane-standards_ibhs.pdf). Box type soffit overhangs (eave) and gable overhangs with a depth of greater than 12 in. (measured from the back of fascia to exterior wall Page 3 of 5
surface) and covered with aluminum or vinyl material, must have a center brace installed mid-span. FORTIFIED HOME Technical Requirements Roof mounted vents, including, but not limited to ridge vents, off ridge vents, and turbines, must meet Florida Building Code TAS 100 (A). Hurricane Silver Requirements: All Bronze requirements must be satisfied. Gable end walls on gables greater than 48 in. in height must be braced. Porches and carports must have adequate connections for uplift pressures based on site design wind speed and exposure category. Connections must be provided from the roof framing to the beam/wall, from beam to column and column to structure below. Certification by a professional engineer is required when connections are concealed by finished materials. Garage doors must be pressure rated for pressures associated with site design wind speed and exposure category. Exception: If garage door has glazing, door must be pressure rated and impact rated, or pressure rated and protected with a qualified impactresistant system. All window, exterior door and skylight openings must be protected with qualified opening protection systems. Qualified opening protection systems must have passed an ASTM E 1996 and E 1886 impact test for large missile D. Hurricane Gold Requirements: All Bronze and Silver requirements must be satisfied. Chimneys must be adequately connected to the roof structure to resist loads based on site design wind speed and exposure category. Certification by a professional engineer is required when connections are concealed by finished materials. Windows, skylights and glass doors: Windows and glass doors must be rated for the design pressures appropriate for the exposure category, Page 4 of 5
wind speed, window size, and window location on the building (see Appendix C of the FORTIFIED HomeTM: Hurricane Standards, http://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/fortified-hurricanestandards_ibhs.pdf). FORTIFIED HOME Technical Requirements A continuous load path must be designed and installed providing connection from the roof to wall, wall to floor and floor to foundation. Certification by a professional engineer is required. Walls must have minimum of 7/16 in. structural sheathing (OSB or Plywood). NOTICE: ALL OF THE ABOVE MUST BE DOCUMENTED PRIOR TO BEING CONCEALED BY FINISHED MATERIALS. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WHILE THE HOME IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. A COMPLETE PHOTO FILE SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE FORTIFIED EVALUATOR WORKING ON THE PROJECT. In addition, certification letters from a structural engineer will be required to satisfy the documentation requirements for outlooker framing, gable framing and bracing, porch/carport connections, chimney connections and load path design. Copies of these letters can be obtained from IBHS or your FORTIFIED Evaluator. Page 5 of 5