A new roof is one of the biggest expenses a homeowner will ever face—often the single most expensive replacement on a home.
What many Oklahomans don’t realize is that the Oklahoma Insurance Commission underwrites a program that can provide up to a $10,000 grant for homeowners who install a FORTIFIED roof. The program is called the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program. Information can be found online at ok.org, or by searching “Strengthen Oklahoma Homes” using voice search on your phone.
A FORTIFIED roof may realistically be a lifetime roof. When properly installed, 30 years or more of service life is a reasonable expectation.
My name is Jack Werner. I’ve been in construction for 50 years, hold a degree in construction, and own A to Z Inspections. In my professional opinion, the two most important advancements in residential construction over the last 50 years are Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and the FORTIFIED building program.
A FORTIFIED roof meets standards developed and tested by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. These standards are based on years of research into high wind and hail performance. Simply put, it is the toughest composition roof a homeowner can install.
As just one example out of hundreds of required details:
Standard roofs typically use OSB or plywood decking fastened at wider intervals. A FORTIFIED roof requires roof decking to be fastened to rafters every 4 inches using #8 screw-shank nails. That dramatically improves wind uplift resistance—and that’s only one of many enhanced requirements.
Will $10,000 pay for a new roof?
Usually not.
However, on a small, single-story home, roughly 1,000 square feet, with decking already in good condition, it is possible. Even when it doesn’t cover the full cost, the grant typically represents a substantial portion of the expense.
As a veteran myself, I want to be sure Oklahoma veterans are fully aware of this opportunity.
For additional information, I can be reached at 405-412-7861.
Visit us here: A to Z Inspections, Fortified Evaluator
Jack Werner
A to Z Inspections, Fortified Evaluator
Note: Jack Werner served with the 4th Infantry Division, K Company, 75th Airborne Rangers, completing two tours in Vietnam. Each of his sons has also served in the United States military. Jack holds a degree in construction and is the owner of A to Z Inspections.
