ASCE 7 Components & Cladding Wall Wind Pressure Calculator
Calculate components & cladding wall pressures for up to 50 openings. Easily order certified copies for review & permit.
Design Help For The IBHS FORTIFIED Home Program*
(Under Construction)
What Is FORTIFIED?
FORTIFIED® is a voluntary construction and re-roofing program that strengthens homes and commercial buildings against severe weather, including high winds, hail, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
A FORTIFIED Certified Service Pro works with the contractor or owner to guide construction, verify compliance, and issue a FORTIFIED designation, which will attract more interested insurance providers & qualify the property for insurance discounts.
FORTIFIEDHelp.com exists to support contractors with clear guidance, engineering-backed solutions, & approval pathways for construction alternatives.
The FORTFIED Process
Types of FORTIFIED Certifications Available
FORTIFIED ROOF
FORTIFIED Roof is a new or re-roof program which includes fortification such as:
– Enhanced roofnailing
– A sealed roof deck
– Locked down roof edges
This gives your home its best chance of weathering a storm.
Roofing materials consist of Product-Approved materials installed per manufacturer specifications or Engineered Approved Alternatives.
To qualify your roof for FORTIFIED Roof:
– Hire a design professional experienced in the FORTIFIED process to architect your roofing solution.
– Retain a FORTIFIED service pro to monitor & certify your installation
– Submit your FORTIFIED Roof certificate to your participating insurance company.
FORTIFIED Silver
FORTIFIED Silver includes fortification of the roof as described herein plus:
- > Impact Doors & Windows
- > Impact Garage Door
- > Chimney Bracing
- > Reinforced Soffits
- > Properly Secured Attached Structures (such as carports & porches & sunrooms)
- Gable End Bracing
FORTIFIED Gold
FORTIFIED Gold builds on Silver by adding additional reinforcements:
- > Pressure-Rated Windows & Doors (full impact, where required)
- > Stronger Exterior Sheathing
- > Engineered Roof-To-Wall Connections
- > Engineered Story-To-Story Connections
- > Engineered Wall-To-Foundation Connections
Technical Resources
Gold
Roof
Silver
Details
fortifiedhome.org/2025-technical-documents/
Educational Videos
Find a FORTIFIED Certified Provider
https://fortified.profilegorilla.com/
Resources
Contractors - Architects - Inspectors - Get FORTIFIED Certified
Contractors: Get FORTIFIED Certified
Whether you’re an architect designing a new home, a contractor building a house, an inspector verifying compliance, an insurance agent providing coverage or an agency providing funding for construction – you can benefit from training offered by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) through FORTIFIED Wise University.
Here are a collection of helpful tools to assist with a FORTIFIED Design
ASCE 7 Components & Cladding Wall Wind Pressure Calculator
Calculate components & cladding wall pressures for up to 50 openings. Easily order certified copies for review & permit.
View More →
FORTIFIED Roof Coverings Uplift Pressure Calculator
Calculate uplift forces on your roof covering This tool is provided by the Insurance Institute For Business And Home Safety (IBHS) as part of their ...
View More →
FORTIFIED Home Patio Column Uplift Calculator
Find The Uplift Force On Your Patio Column This tool is provided by the Insurance Institute For Business And Home Safety (IBHS) as part of ...
View More →
Rooftop Equipment Wind Pressure Calculator
Calculate mechanical rooftop equipment wind pressures & stand clearance heights for up to 5 units. Order certified copies for permit.
View More →
ASCE – Wind – Snow – Seismic Location Lookup Tool
ASCE Hazards Tool A quick way to look up key design parameters specified in ASCE standards. Results are provided for a site address for wind ...
View More →
5 False Wind Statements Debunked by an Expert Storm Engineer
I hear these silly things people say all the time about hurricanes. From conversations in line at the grocery store to people telling me how ...
View More →
Engineers Can Assist Certifying These FORTIFIED Designs
Engineering Firms like Engineering Express® can assist the contractor and designer in certifying product installation types as an approved alternate to the prescribed evaluation.
Areas Acceptable to FORTIFIED For Interpretation
Calculating Site Specific Wall Wind Pressures For Windows, Doors, & Garage Doors
*(Alternate framing Shim & attachment)
Window and Door Shimming: Code Requirements and Engineering Reality
Window and Door Shimming: Code Requirements and Engineering Reality Improper shimming is a structural installation defect, not a cosmetic issue. It becomes most critical when
Can an engineer design alternate anchorage for a Florida product approval or other product evaluation?
Can an engineer design alternate anchorage for a Florida product approval or other product evaluation? Say you have an evaluation report for a window or
Interpreting Product Approvals To Select Systems With Adequate Design Pressure Ratings
Interpolating Between Tested Values Or Accessing Other Deviations From The Exact Tested Assembly Requirements
Elevated Roof-Mounted Deck Attachment
Issue:
For the required FORTIFIED Roof level designation, a professional engineer must confirm a list of verification requirements to confirm the deck is permanently structurally attached to the roof framing with connections in good condition. For the Silver and Gold level, the connection must be assessed to ensure it is adequate for the site design loads.
References:
Technical Bulletin FH 2022-03:
Solution:
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Calculating Site-Specfic Wind Uplift Pressures For Non-Shingle Roof Covers
Roof Framing Assemblies Outside of FORTIFIED Prescriptive Eligibility
Issue:
When designing roof wood framing for a home, the FORTIFIED prescriptive method is a wood structural member (wood trusses or engineered rafters) with a minimum of 2in nominal thickness (1.5″ measured thickness) spaced 24″ on center.
Wood structural panels (plywood or ODB) or wood board decking shall cover the framing.
For wood roof framing outside these parameters, a review & sealed letter from an engineer is required
References:
FORTIFIED Home Standard Section 2.5, Appendix B1
Technical Bulletin FH 2023-07 (for board roof deck with excessive gaps)
See FORTIFIED Standard Detail F-RR-5
Solution:
This is a deviation that an engineer or architect of record for your project needs to address to ensure the overall stability of the structure is accommodated. Items like uplift strapping, racking & diaphragm support all play into the determination of a proper code compliant, FORTIFIED Design.
Elevated / Roof Mounted HVAC Unit & 'Other Structures' Connections For Wind
Retrofitting Ineligible Foundations
Aluminum Sunroom Design & Host Structure Integrity
Yes, we actually followed the construction of a FORTIFIED Home from start to finish.
We’ll be posting our story and what we learned here.
Now in development!
Our Journey Includes stories for:
Structural Frame Design
- Connections
- Gable Bracing
- Chimney
- Lateral Support
Impact Windows & Doors
Roof Material Selection
Custom Roof Engineering Interpretation For FORTIFIED Approval
* FORTIFIED also has a program for Commercial and Multi-Family construction not directly addressed in this FORTIFIED Home help site.
This help page is assembled by Engineering Express, the leader in Building Product Engineering Design & can help with certifying alternate conditions for FORTIFIED Home, Commercial, & Multi-Family engineering as referenced herein across the US.
DISCLAIMER: This website and Engineering Express have no affiliation with the IBHS FORTIFIED Program. All information is our own opinion and shall be verified by a licensed design professional before permit or construction of any kind.