Alabama Act 2009-500 - CORRECT ANSWER-requires all property insurers to include
in their rates and rating planes a premium discount or insurance rate reduction when the
property is built in compliance with the 2006 International Residential Code, including all
hurricane mitigation construction requirements, or the FORTIFIED for safe living
standards as may from time to time adopted by the Institute for Business and Home
Safety. These discounts are mandatory for property located in Baldwin and Mobile
Counties.
What is a Fortified Home - CORRECT ANSWER-A home can be designated as a
FORTIFIED Home if it is built or upgraded according to engineering and building
standards designed to help strengthen it to reduce damage from some natural
disasters, such as hurricanes. The FORTIFIED designation can apply to new and
existing homes.
What are the three levels of FORTIFIED designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-Bronze
Silver
Gold
How do you qualify for the FORTIFIED Home Designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Both new and existing homes are eligible. "The home must be a single-family, detached
structure built on a permanent foundation. Townhomes, duplexes, and other multi-unit
buildings do not qualify.
How can a FORTIFIED designation be achieved? - CORRECT ANSWER-It can only be
achieved if the help of a FORTIFIED evaluator is enlisted. Before homeowners begin to
update their home, a certified FORTIFIED evaluator will conduct a FORTIFIED Home
Hurricane Evaluation and issue a Current Condition Report
What will a Current Condition Report identify? - CORRECT ANSWER-Assemblies and
systems in the home that already meet the designation requirements. Recommended
retrofits required for a FORTIFIED designation. Any conditions that must be addressed
before proceeding with retrofits.
, What is a Bronze, Silver Designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-The bronze and silver
designations may be appropriate for older homes. To achieve one of these
designations, the building structures most frequently damaged in windstorms must be
enforced.
What is a Gold designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-The Gold designation requires
documentation of engineering design and installation of a continuous load path (a
method of construction that uses wood, metal connectors, fasteners, and shear walls to
connect the structural frame of a house together). This can be achieved with new
construction or through substantial renovations of an existing home.
What are the qualifications for the Bronze level? - CORRECT ANSWER-It focuses on
strengthening the roof system and keeping water out of the house.
The roof system must be addressed first in order to achieve any other level, and sealing
the roof is critical.
What are the qualifications for an existing roof under Bronze level? - CORRECT
ANSWER-*The home has a relatively new roof or an expensive roof covering with a
long life expectancy under normal conditions.
*The roof sheathing attachment is improved and a barrier is provided from the inside to
help resist water intrusion.
*When a new roof is installed, the roof deck must be attached using mechanical
fasteners and a qualified system must seal the roof deck on the exterior surface.
What are the qualifications for the FORTIFIED silver designation? - CORRECT
ANSWER-All bronze- level upgrades must be completed, plus all the following:
*Gable end walls on gables greater than 48 inches must be braced.
*Porches and carports must have adequate connections for uplift pressures base on
site design, wind speed, and exposure category.
*Connections must be provided from the roof framing to the beam/wall, from the beam
to the column, and from the column to the structure below.
in their rates and rating planes a premium discount or insurance rate reduction when the
property is built in compliance with the 2006 International Residential Code, including all
hurricane mitigation construction requirements, or the FORTIFIED for safe living
standards as may from time to time adopted by the Institute for Business and Home
Safety. These discounts are mandatory for property located in Baldwin and Mobile
Counties.
What is a Fortified Home - CORRECT ANSWER-A home can be designated as a
FORTIFIED Home if it is built or upgraded according to engineering and building
standards designed to help strengthen it to reduce damage from some natural
disasters, such as hurricanes. The FORTIFIED designation can apply to new and
existing homes.
What are the three levels of FORTIFIED designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-Bronze
Silver
Gold
How do you qualify for the FORTIFIED Home Designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Both new and existing homes are eligible. "The home must be a single-family, detached
structure built on a permanent foundation. Townhomes, duplexes, and other multi-unit
buildings do not qualify.
How can a FORTIFIED designation be achieved? - CORRECT ANSWER-It can only be
achieved if the help of a FORTIFIED evaluator is enlisted. Before homeowners begin to
update their home, a certified FORTIFIED evaluator will conduct a FORTIFIED Home
Hurricane Evaluation and issue a Current Condition Report
What will a Current Condition Report identify? - CORRECT ANSWER-Assemblies and
systems in the home that already meet the designation requirements. Recommended
retrofits required for a FORTIFIED designation. Any conditions that must be addressed
before proceeding with retrofits.
, What is a Bronze, Silver Designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-The bronze and silver
designations may be appropriate for older homes. To achieve one of these
designations, the building structures most frequently damaged in windstorms must be
enforced.
What is a Gold designation? - CORRECT ANSWER-The Gold designation requires
documentation of engineering design and installation of a continuous load path (a
method of construction that uses wood, metal connectors, fasteners, and shear walls to
connect the structural frame of a house together). This can be achieved with new
construction or through substantial renovations of an existing home.
What are the qualifications for the Bronze level? - CORRECT ANSWER-It focuses on
strengthening the roof system and keeping water out of the house.
The roof system must be addressed first in order to achieve any other level, and sealing
the roof is critical.
What are the qualifications for an existing roof under Bronze level? - CORRECT
ANSWER-*The home has a relatively new roof or an expensive roof covering with a
long life expectancy under normal conditions.
*The roof sheathing attachment is improved and a barrier is provided from the inside to
help resist water intrusion.
*When a new roof is installed, the roof deck must be attached using mechanical
fasteners and a qualified system must seal the roof deck on the exterior surface.
What are the qualifications for the FORTIFIED silver designation? - CORRECT
ANSWER-All bronze- level upgrades must be completed, plus all the following:
*Gable end walls on gables greater than 48 inches must be braced.
*Porches and carports must have adequate connections for uplift pressures base on
site design, wind speed, and exposure category.
*Connections must be provided from the roof framing to the beam/wall, from the beam
to the column, and from the column to the structure below.
