This article was originally featured on our sister site BUILDER.
In the wake of the property damage and loss of life caused by Hurricane Matthew last month, roof replacement and repair aren’t just a necessary part of disaster recovery. The durability and integrity of a property’s roof is a major safety consideration, especially in the event of a natural disaster.
To this end, Julie Rochman, president and CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), recommends IBHS’s Roofing the Right Way bulletin for use by roofing contractors in North Carolina’s disaster recovery areas. The bulletin is based on the roofing standards outlined in the Bronze level of IBHS’s Fortified Home Hurricane Standards.
“The roof is your home’s first line of defense against Mother Nature,” Rochman said in a release. “While many of us think of a roof as shingles and gutters, it is actually an integrated system with many components that work together to protect your home from the elements. That’s why it is so important to make your roof as strong as possible for maximum protection from the next storm – because there will always be another storm.”
According to Rochman, the Fortified Home standards are designed to add “system-specific upgrades” to existing minimum building codes, rather than a full replacement. This allows for easy integration of new standards into new and existing homes.
All Fortified Home protection standards are divided into Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, which allows property owners to choose their desired level of protection based on their budget and resilience needs. The base Hurricane Bronze level, and by extension the Silver and Gold, focuses on the roof’s integrity, durability, and defense against damage, as well as its protection of life, property, and habitable use.
Properties with FORTIFIED Home designations may qualify for financial insurance incentives in North Carolina’s coastal counties. Qualification details are available at the North Carolina Rate Bureau.