Oklahoma FORTIFIED Home
Build Safe. Build Strong. Build fortified.
The National standard for resilient construction
Real Estate Agents and Contractors:
Your clients trust you to deliver their dream home. Make sure you give them the safest home possible.
Give them a FORTIFIED Home.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Fortified Home is a residential property built or retrofitted to stronger, storm-resistant building standards developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The Fortified Home program goes beyond standard building codes to reduce damage from severe weather such as hurricanes, high winds, hail, and tornadoes.
The Fortified Home program uses specific construction and re-roofing standards that focus on vulnerable areas of a home — starting with the roof and extending to windows, doors, and structural connections. A certified Fortified Evaluator documents and verifies that the home meets all applicable standards before a Fortified Home designation is awarded.
Fortified Home certification is offered in multiple levels:
Fortified Roof – Strengthens the roof system to keep water out and resist wind damage.
Fortified Silver – Adds protection for openings like windows and doors, and attached structures.
Fortified Gold – Provides the highest level of protection by connecting the entire structure into a continuous load path.
Yes. Most existing homes can be upgraded to meet Fortified Home standards, particularly at the Fortified Roof or Fortified Silver levels. Even homes being re-roofed can often integrate Fortified upgrades during that process.
Yes. Because a Fortified Home is scientifically proven to perform better against severe weather, many insurance companies offer premium discounts or endorsements for certified homes. These incentives vary by insurer and state, so homeowners should consult their agent for specific details.
Homes with Fortified Home certification can have higher resale value because buyers recognize the added resilience and potential insurance savings. Some studies indicate an increase in appraised value compared to non-Fortified homes.
Certification typically requires renewal every five years. A Fortified Evaluator will conduct a re-inspection to ensure that the home continues to meet the current Fortified standards.
Why build fortified?
The Fortified Home Program makes new and existing homes more resistant to damage from hurricanes, tropical storms, hailstorms, high winds and wind-driven rain associated with thunderstorms. The Fortified Home Standard includes three levels of protection:
Fortified Roof
The FORTIFIED Home™ Roof level addresses the roof system. By creating a sealed roof deck, these upgrades reduce wind and water entering the attic through the roof covering and vents.
Silver
In addition to the roof system addressed in the Fortified Roof level, the FORTIFIED Home™ Silver level addresses windows, doors, chimneys and attached structures.
gold
After the roof, openings and attached structures have been addressed, the FORTIFIED Home™ Gold level ties the house together by connecting the roof to the walls to the floors to the foundation, so it acts as one system.
About Fortified
Home and business owners across the country are strengthening their properties against storm damage by using FORTIFIED construction standards. Whether you are building new home, roofing, or renovating an existing property, FORTIFIED is affordable and effective way to protect your home.
FORTIFIED is based on over 20 years of research, real-world testing and observations by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). There are FORTIFIED standards for coastal as well as inland construction. Each standard will reduce damage from the specific weather-related threats a building will face, including hurricanes, hail, high winds, and low-level tornadoes.
Benefits of Fortified
The program starts by focusing on the roof, which is the most important and vulnerable part of every building.
FORTIFIED goes beyond code. It exceeds most building codes by improving the performance of buildings against natural disasters and reducing the risk of personal property losses.
This unique systems-based approach requires documenting and verifying all aspects of construction to make sure homes and businesses are built to the standard.
A FORTIFIED Evaluator is the only professional who can help you earn a FORTIFIED Designation and take advantage of all the programs benefits.
Knockout Inspections is an IBHS Approved and Certified FORTIFIED Evaluator, and can ensure that homes under construction or renovation meet the requirements to receive the FORTIFIED designation.